Boron-containing hormone analogues and a method for their use for the visual display or for killing of cells, the hormone receptors have

摘要

Boron containing compounds are targeted to hormonally responsive cells by contacting the cells with a conjugate of a boron containing moiety conjugated to a ligand having binding specificity for an intracellular receptor of the cell. The conjugates are useful for imaging or killing hormonally responsive cells, such as hormonally responsive tumor cells. For target cell killing, the cells are contacted with a 10B containing moiety conjugated to a ligand having binding specificity for an intracellular hormone receptor of the cells. The 10B containing moiety becomes associated with the hormone receptor of the cells, which may then be irradiated with neutrons to kill the cells by boron neutron capture. For target cell imaging, the cells are contacted with a 11B containing moiety conjugated to a ligand having binding specificity for an intracellular hormone receptor of the cells, and the boron that becomes associated with the hormone receptor of the cells may then be imaged using magnetic resonance imaging techniques.