Presentation of Ligands on Hydroxylapatite
Conjugates of biotin with the decamer of glutamic acid (glu(sub 10)) and the trimer of D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (I) have been synthesized, and it has been shown that they mediate the binding of avidin to hydroxylapatite. In a similar way a conjugate of methotrexate with glu(sub 10) mediates the binding of dihydrofolate reductase to the mineral. The presentation of ligands on the hydroxylapatite component of bone may find applications in clinical medicine.
Chu, Barbara C. F.↗