Synthesis and antitumor activity of arginine–glucosamine conjugate

Using d-glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcNH2·HCl) as starting material, a new amino acid sugar conjugate, arginine–glucosamine (Arg–GlcNH2), was synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, 13C NMR and element analysis. Its cytotoxicity in vitro was evaluated by MTT assay. The inhibition ratio against human hepatoma cell SMMC-7721 was higher than that of GlcNH2·HCl. This effect was accompanied by a marked increase in the proportion of S cells as analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, SMMC-7721 cells treated with Arg–GlcNH2 resulted in the induction of apoptosis as assayed qualitatively by agarose gel electrophoresis. The manner of Arg–GlcNH2 cytocidal activity was concluded to be apoptosis.