Bortezomib, a cell-permeable dipeptidylboronate compound, is a proteasome inhibitor. The proteasomal system is crucial for cellular protein turnover, which is necessary for maintaining cell homeostasis. Bortezomib binds reversibly to the chymotrypsin-like subunit of the 26S proteasome, inhibiting its function and thereby preventing the degradation of multiple pro-apoptotic factors. Bortezomib selectively inhibits 20S proteasome β5 ChTL/chymotrypsin- over β1 CL/caspase- and β2 TL/trypsin-like activity (kinact/Ki = 38,000, 5,700, and <100 M-1s-1, respectively, in human 20S proteasome assays using 10 M Suc-LLVY-AMC/Cat. No. 539142, 10 M Z-LLE-AMC/Cat. No. 539141, or 50 M Boc-LRR-AMC as substrate; IC50 in 1 h = 7, 74, and 4,200 nM, respectively) via a covalent, slowly reversible, interaction between the nucleophilic Thr1 hydroxy group/Thr1Oγ of the catalytic β subunit and the inhibitor′s electrophilic boronic moiety, displaying much reduced potency against human chymotrypsin, cathepsin G, leukocyte elastase, and thrombin (Ki = 0.32, 0.63, 2.3, and 13 M, respectively, vs. 620 nM using rabbit muscle 20S). A widely used inhibitor both in cultures in vitro and in animals in vivo. Despite being the first proteasome inhibitor approved by FDA for clinical anticancer treatment, its therapeutic efficacy continues to be hampered by off-target effects and dose-limiting toxicity.

Bortezomib has been used to induce aerobic glycolysis/ neuropathic pain in mice and study chemotherapy-induced painful peripheral neuropathy.

Cell permeable: yes

Reversible: yes

Packaged under inert gas

Toxicity: Standard Handling (A)

Use only fresh DMSO or Ethanol for reconstitution.

Following reconstitution, aliquot and freeze (-20°C.) Stock solutions are stable for up to 6 months at -20°C.

Du, X.L, and Chen, Q. 2013. Acta Haematol.129, 207.
Tamatani, T., et al. 2013. Int. J. Oncol.42, 935.
Beck, P., et al. 2012. J. Biol. Chem.393, 1101.
Fang, H.T., et al. 2012. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.109, 2521.
Chen, D., et al. 2011. Curr. Cancer Drug Targets11, 239.
Demo, S.D., et al. 2007. Cancer Res.67, 6383.
Adams, J., et al. 1999. Cancer Res.59, 2615.
Teicher, B.A., et al. 1999. Clin. Cancer Res.5, 2638.
Adams, J., et al. 1998. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.8, 333.

CALBIOCHEM is a registered trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany