The steroidogenic enzyme 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) is a therapeutic target in the management of androgen-sensitive diseases such as prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia. In this Letter, we designed and synthesized the first fluorescent inhibitor of this enzyme by combining a fluorogenic dansyl moiety to the chemical structure of a known inhibitor of 17β-HSD3. The synthesized compound 3 is a potent fluorogenic compound (λex=348 nm and λ em=498 nm). It crosses the cell membrane, keeps its fluorescent properties and is distributed inside the LNCaP cells overexpressing 17β-HSD3, where it inhibits the transformation of 4-androstene-3,17-dione into the androgen testosterone (IC50=262 nM).
Keywords: Dansyl; Fluorescent agent; Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase; Inhibitor; Steroid.
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