Phosphate anion binding: enhanced transport of nucleotide monophosphates using a sapphyrin carrier

Recently, nucleotide analogues have been the focus of considerable attention because of their potential utility in antiviral chemotherapy. For example, the monophosphate derivatives of both 9-( beta -D-arabinofuranosyl)adenine and 9-( beta -D-xylofuranosyl)guanine have been shown to have high anti-HSV activity in cell-free suspensions, and phosphate analogues such as phosphonate and/or phosphonyl methoxy ether nucleobase derivatives are known to have antiviral activity in vitro. However, because of their charged nature, such nucleotide analogues generally have poor penetration into cells. Carriers which could enhance cellular uptake of nucleotide agents might, therefore, have an important role to play as adjuvants to antiviral chemotherapy. In addition, they might also be of interest in terms of understanding, from a model point of view, the bioenergetics of more normal through-membrane nucleotide transport.