Amino acid modified [70] fullerene derivatives with high radical scavenging activity as promising bodyguards for chemotherapy protection

Despite the great efforts for tumor therapy in the last decades, currently chemotherapy induced toxicity remains a formidable problem for cancer patients, and it usually prohibits the cancer therapy from successful completion due to severe side effects. In general, the main side effects of chemotherapeutic agents are from the as-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) that not only harm the tumor cells but also damage the patients’ organs. Here we report the application of amino acid derivatives of fullerene (AADF) in the chemotherapy which strongly scavenge the excess ROS to protect the tested mice against the chemotherapy-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. Two amino acids, i.e., L-lysine and β-alanine were separately employed to chemically modify C(70) fullerene, and L-lysine derivative of fullerene (C(70)-Lys) exhibits superior radical scavenging activity to β-alanine derivative of C(70) (C(70)-Ala). As expected, C(70)-Lys show much better protective effect than C(70)-Ala against the chemotherapy injuries in vivo, which is verified by various histopathological, haematological examinations and antioxidative enzyme studies. Moreover, the L-glutathione level is increased and the cytochrome P-450 2E1 expression is inhibited. They are potentially developed as promising bodyguards for chemotherapy protection.