Enhancement of binding affinity of folate to its receptor by peptide conjugation

(1) Background: The folate receptor (FR) is a target for cancer treatment and detection. Expression of the FR is restricted in normal cells but overexpressed in many types of tumors. Folate was conjugated with peptides for enhancing binding affinity to the FR. (2) Materials and Methods: For conjugation, folate was coupled with propargyl or dibenzocyclooctyne, and 4-azidophenylalanine was introduced in peptides for “click” reactions. We measured binding kinetics including the rate constants of association (ka) and dissociation (kd) of folate-peptide conjugates with purified FR by biolayer interferometry. After optimization of the conditions for the click reaction, we successfully conjugated folate with designed peptides. (3) Results: The binding affinity, indicated by the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD), of folate toward the FR was enhanced by peptide conjugation. The enhanced FR binding affinity by peptide conjugation is a result of an increase in the number of interaction sites. (4) Conclusion: Such peptide-ligand conjugates will be important in the design of ligands with higher affinity. These high affinity ligands can be useful for targeted drug delivery system.