The interaction of an anti-tumour platinum complex with DNA

alpha-Tocopherol enhances tumour growth inhibition by cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II)

Present studies indicate that alpha-tocopherol enhances the efficacy of cisplatin as demonstrated by inoculation of Dalton's lymphoma cells incubated with either cisplatin (5 or 10 microg/ml) alone or cisplatin + alpha-tocopherol (25 or 50 microg/ml) into C3H/He mice. Tumour cells (3 x 10(6) cells/mouse) incubated with cisplatin grow slowly in syngeneic mice as indicated by the late appearance of tumour. However, mice failed to develop tumour when inoculated with tumour cells incubated with cisplatin + alpha-tocopherol. When the animals were challenged with tumour cells (3 x 10(6) cells/mouse) on the 15th day after the initial inoculation, 30-50% survived more than 60 days, with 10% tumour-free survivors being observed in some groups. Antitumour activity was higher in mice receiving lymphoma cells (3 x 10(6) cells/mouse) preincubated with cisplatin + alpha-tocopherol compared to cisplatin alone. Tumour-bearing mice receiving cisplatin in combination with different concentrations of alpha-tocopherol exhibited significantly higher (P<0.001) intratumour platinum content (123-306%) but without any change in the kidney platinum content as compared to those receiving cisplatin (5 or 10 microg/ml) alone. Enhancement of cisplatin-induced tumour growth inhibition is probably due to the modulation of tumour cell membrane permeability by alpha-tocopherol. alpha-Tocopherol might increase the influx of cisplatin into tumour cells, causing the DNA repair machinery to be less efficient due to increased efficiency of adduct formation in the DNA molecule. This effect of alpha-tocopherol can render cisplatin more effective as an antitumour agent.

Effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) on rat thymocyte membrane potential

The effect of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisDDP) on rat thymocytes has been investigated. Changes of anisotropy constant and depolarization of the cell membrane have been determined. The effect of cisDDP on the anisotropy constant has been observed on treated animal thymocytes but not on treated isolated cell membranes. CisDDP inhibits KCl-induced depolarization in isolated rat thymocytes. This inhibiting effect is still present at a concentration as low as 5 microM and it is dose-dependent with a 9.6 microM ED50. CisDDP also boosts the inhibition of the polarization caused by 10 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX) and 10 microM doxorubicin (DOXO). The replacement of Na+ by choline and the inactivation of Ca2+ by EGTA, in the incubation medium, reduces the inhibiting effect of cisDDP on the KCl-induced depolarization. These results suggest that cisDDP induced alterations could be due to the interference of cisDDP with the activity of the ionic channels pertaining to Na+ and Ca2+. This interference is stronger for Na+ channels.

Interaction of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) with sensitive and resistant L1210 cell lines. Drug binding to nuclei and DNA

We used in parallel, to study the kinetics of cis-DDP cellular binding and distribution, a cL cell culture line established from L1210 murine leukemia ascites and its cLP derivative which acquired a 30-fold (ID50) resistance to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II). Cell cultures were incubated with 0.9 microgram/ml (3 microM) of the drug and after various incubation times up to 24 hr, the amount of platinum associated to whole cells, to isolated nuclei and to purified DNA was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. For the first hours of incubation no significant difference in the rate of platinum association was observed between the two cell lines. After the first hours of incubation the amount of platinum associated to whole cells and to isolated nuclei was significantly higher in the drug sensitive cells. However, the rates of platinum association to the respective DNAs were quite similar in the two cell lines. Our study failed to demonstrate any significant quantitative modification of the overall drug-DNA association between the resistant and sensitive cell lines.

DNA-binding compounds--synthesis and intercalating properties of a peptide-diamino diacridine

A novel diacridine has been prepared in which two acridines are linked by a flexible peptide chain composed of gamma-aminobutyric acid, tyrosine, lysine and glycine. Synthesis of N-[9-acridinyl)-4-aminobutanoyl-tyrosyl-lysyl-lysyl-glycyl)-N'-(9- acridinyl)-1, 3-diaminopropane (VII) was achieved in 8% overall yield by a solution phase stepwise procedure. This compound binds to DNA by intercalation of both chromophores with at least a 140-fold enhancement of affinity compared to 9-aminoacridine.

Lack of severe malformations versus occurrence of marked embryotoxic effects after treatment of pregnant mice with cis-platinum

The embryotoxic and teratogenic effects caused by the inorganic cytostatic drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) ("cis-platinum") were investigated in mice. Single doses of 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 mg cis-platinum/kg were administered to pregnant mice on day 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 of pregnancy; on day 18, all fetuses were removed and examined for toxic phenomena and for external, skeletal and internal malformations. A dose-dependent reduction of the number of fetuses per litter, a decrease of fetal body weight, and a marked retardation of skeletal ossification processes reflected the severe embryolethal and embryotoxic influence of cis-platinum; this influence was most pronounced when the drug was applied during organogenesis, i.e. on day 8, 10 or 12 of murine pregnancy. In contrast, the incidence of malformations was surprisingly rare after treatment with cis-platinum: Neither external nor skeletal malformations appeared more frequently than in control populations; most fetal internal organs were without anomalies, however, a portion of 10-20% of the fetuses exhibited slight signs of hydrocephaly after application of cis-platinum on day 12.

The differential effects produced by cis- and trans-DDP on DNA in calf thymus nucleosomes

Calf thymus nucleosomes containing H1 were treated with dichlorodiammineplatinum (DDP) at low binding ratios (r = 0.05-0.15). Change in the electrophoretic mobility of the extracted nucleosomal DNA was observed following treatment with cis-DDP and little change with trans-DDP. There was a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of the nucleosomal DNA as well as obliteration of the nucleosomal repeat distance. The fluorescence intensity of terbium binding to the extracted DNA showed minimal change following drug treatment. However, the thermal melting behavior of the nucleosomal DNA was altered to a greater extent following cis-DDP treatment at 280 rather than 260 nm and a destabilization of the DNA helix was observed. These data suggest that in the whole nucleosome, cis-DDP produces greater structural effects on the packaged DNA than trans-DDP, although similar amounts of drug are bound with both isomers.

Possible factors in the potentiation of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-trans-4-methylcyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea cytotoxicity by alpha-difluoromethylornithine in 9L rat brain tumor cells

Depletion of intracellular levels of polyamines in 9L rat brain tumor cells by alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-trans-4-methylcyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU) in vitro as measured by a colony-forming efficiency assay. Administered as a single agent, DFMO was not cytotoxic to 9L cells. Treatment for 48 hr with 10, 1, 0.5 or 0.1 mM DFMO produced similar levels of polyamine depletion-and similar potentiation of MeCCNU cytotoxicity. Restoration of intracellular polyamine levels by the addition of exogenous putrescine (1 mM) to treated cells prevented the potentiation of MeCCNU, which indicates that this phenomenon might be the result of polyamine depletion. DNA adduct formation in polyamine-depleted and control cells was studied with [14C]-MeCCNU; no difference in monoadduct formation was found between polyamine-depleted and control cells. Experiments to determine whether polyamine depletion has an effect on enzymes involved in the repair of alkylated bases showed that the activity of O6-methylguanine-DNA demethylase, 7-methylguanine-DNA glycosylase and 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase were unaffected by 48 hr of treatment with 10 mM DFMO. DFMO treatment causes a substantial increase in the intracellular content of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine, which was reversed by addition of putrescine. The possibility that the elevation of decarboxylated S-adenosyl-L-methionine rather than the depletion of polyamines is responsible for the effects of DFMO is discussed.

Effects of the cytostatic drug cis-platinum on the developing neocortex of the mouse

The effects of the new cytostatic drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-platinum) on the developing neocortex of NMRI mouse embryos or fetuses were investigated using light- and electron-microscopic methods. Single doses of 20 mg cis-platinum/kg were applied intraperitoneally on day 10, 11, . . ., or 16 of gestation. After treatment on day 10 or 11-i.e., during the phase of organogenesis-no morphological alterations could be detected in the neuroepithelium. However, after treatment on day 12 or later, the mitotic activity was markedly reduced and a great number of cells had become necrotic within 12-24 h after application of the drug. At the ultrastructural level, the development of necroses began with a condensation of the chromatin, culminating in the formation of large condensation plaques and shrinkage and fragmentation of the cytoplasm. The observed necroses can be classified according to Schweichel and Merker as type I necroses. It is argued that the apparent teratogenic inefficiency of cis-platinum on days 10 and 11 of murine pregnancy is caused by the inability of cis-platinum to pass the placental barrier at this stage of pregnancy.

Embryotoxicity of cisplatin in rats and mice

Cisplatin [cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II)], a broad spectrum antitumor agent, was tested for possible teratogenic and embryolethal effects on Wistar rats and Swiss Webster mice. Rats were given a single ip injection of 0.3, 1.0, 2.5, or 3.0 mg/kg cisplatin on Day 6, 8, 11, or 14 of gestation, whereas mice were given a single ip injection of 0.3, 3.0, 6.0, 8,0, or 13.0 mg/kg on Day 8 only. The embryonic LD50's in the rat were 2.88, 1.28, and 1.0 mg/kg for day 6, 8, and 11, respectively. There was no significant increase in embryolethality at any of the doses given on Day 14. The embryonic LD50 for mice was 5.24 mg/kg. An increase in the incidence of growth retardation or gross malformations was not discernable in the surviving fetuses with the number of dams used in this study. Cisplatin is highly embryolethal in rats and mice at dosages well below the adult therapeutic dosage in humans. This embryolethality is gestational stage-specific with the highest mortality corresponding to the period of rapid DNA replication in early organogenesis.

The interaction of platinum complexes with nucleosomes investigated with fluorescent probes

The fluorescent probes, N,-(3-pyrene)maleimide, which is specific for histone H3, and terbium (Tb3+), which is specific for guanine single-stranded residues in DNA, are used to investigate the interaction of platinum complexes (cis- and trans-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II)) with rat liver and calf thymus nucleosomes. At low concentrations of the drug, lower than most of those reported previously in studies investigating the interaction of the drugs with isolated DNA, N-(3-pyrene)maleimide studies show that profound modifications occur near or in the cysteinyl binding site of histone H3. H3 dimer formation appears to be the cause of the change induced by trans-DDP; however, the effects observed with the cis-isomer do not seem to be correlated with dimer formation. At short incubation times, Tb3+ fluorescence shows small changes in DNA conformation, but they are slight when compared to the effect observed with proteins at the same length of incubation. SDS-polyacrylamide gels indicate some changes in protein composition, and agarose gels display a decrease in ethidium bromide staining of the cis-treated DNA. The results suggest that the protein portion, predominantly histone H3, as well as DNA are targets for the platinum derivatives in the nucleosome.

Some observations on the mechanisms of blocking of nuclear staining by cisplatin

The effect of cisplatin (cis-dichloro-diamminoplatinum II) treatment on staining of nuclei with various basic dyes and with the Feulgen reaction has been studied. Although cisplatin is reported to show negligible reaction with DNA phosphates, it hs a substantial blocking effect on staining with most dyes. Short treatment with cisplatin results in binding mainly to guanine bases of DNA, causing partial blocking of the Feulgen reaction and almost complete blocking of ethidium intercalation; binding of neutral red and crystal violet is enhanced, apparently as a result of cisplatin-induced denaturation of DNA. Very prolonged cisplatin treatment does not completely block the Feulgen reaction, indicating that reaction of cisplatin with purine bases is not complete. Since attachment of cisplatin to DNA bases is unlikely to prevent binding of most basic dyes, it is suggested that the blocking of their staining may result from steric hindrance caused by formation of DNA-protein cross-links by cisplatin. Whatever the mechanism, it is incapable of producing complete blocking of staining with certain dyes. As a practical tool, it appears that rapid and almost complete blocking of staining by cisplatin may be used as an indicator of intercalative binding of dyes to DNA.

Cytokinetic behavior of Ehrlich ascites tumor after in vivo treatment with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and metallocene dichlorides

The influence of an in vivo treatment with optimally tumor-inhibiting doses of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (DDP), titanocene dichloride (TDC), and vanadocene dichloride (VDC) on the DNA distribution pattern, determined by pulse-cytophotometry, and on the mitotic activity of EAT cells is investigated. Whereas DDP causes an immediate and long-lasting decrease of mitoses but no disturbances of the EAT cell kinetics, a marked G2 block with a maximum at 10-12 h a. t. and an irreversible and extensive mitotic depression is evoked by TDC. In the case of DDP and TDC, the tumor cells are removed several days a. t. by cells belonging to the defensive system of the host animals. In contrast, VDC induces partially synchronized waves after a transient suppression of mitoses and reversible cell accumulation in the late S and in the G2 phases. Additionally, 5-16% of the cells become polyploid after VDC treatment.

In vitro cell growth inhibition by metallocene dichlorides

The in vitro growth-inhibiting potencies of titanocene dichloride (TDC), zirconocene dichloride (ZDC), hafnocene dichloride (HDC), vanadocene dichloride (VDC), and molybdocene dichloride (MDC) against Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells cultured in viro as permanently growing suspension cultures were determined. The most striking growth-suppression activity was detected for VDC. A VDC concentration as low as 5. 10(-6) mol/l effects a highly significant diminution of cell proliferation. TDC and MDC inhibit cellular growth only concentration of 5 . 10(-4) or 10(-3) mol/l, respectively, whereas ZDC and HDC, which are ineffective against EAT cells in vivo, require higher concentration levels. The growth inhibition is caused by a cytotoxic action of the metallocene dichlorides, as is demonstrated in the case of VDC and TDC by differentiation of live and dead EAT cells by means of the dye lissamine green.

Kinetic analysis of the in vitro binding of radioactive cis- and trans-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) to DNA

The binding of cis(c)- and trans(t)-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 to DNA at platinum/DNA-nucleotide ratios (Ri) of 0.1 or less has been studied by means of radioactive 195mPt-labeled compounds. Kinetic data are consistent with the following scheme: (Formula: see text). At 25 degrees C and pH 5-6 in 5 mM NaClO4, the values for the rate constants in the above scheme for the c-isomer are k2 = 2.2 X 10(-5) sec -1, k7 = 0.32 (sec M)-1, and k8 = 143 (sec M)-1; for the t-isomer the values are k2 less than 0.5 X 10(-5) sec-1 and k7 = 0.95 (sec M)-1. Platinum-DNA adducts do not undergo detectable exchange for 3 days at 37 degrees C, indicating the absence of a dynamic equilibrium. For both isomers the rate of binding is the same for single- and double-stranded DNA. The conclusions derived from Ag+ and H+ titration studies are consistent with binding at guanine N(7) for Ri less than 0.1. The reaction rate is competitively inhibited by various salts and buffers and is suppressed by raising the pH (50% inhibition of initial rates at pH 7.3). At 37 degrees C and pH 7 in 0.15 M NaCl, 6-8% of both the c- and t-isomers bind to DNA in 24 h, suggesting that both compounds should bind to DNA under biological conditions.

Tumor inhibition by metallocenes: antitumor activity of titanocene dihalides (C5H5)2TiX2 (X=F, Cl, Br, I, NCS) and their application in buffered solutions as a method for suppressing drug-induced side effects

The antitumor activity of titanocene dihalides (C5H5)2TiX2 with X=F, Cl, Br, I, NCS is investigated against Ehrlich ascites tumor in CF 1 mice. Varying doses of the compounds are applied as single i.p. injections 24 h p.t.t. both in non-buffered (pH 1.4-3.9) and buffered (pH 4.2-5.9) solutions or suspensions, all of the substances achieving in optimum doses cure rates of 100% on day 120 p.t.t. This corresponds to I.L.S. values of 600-750% referred to the untreated controls. Some drug-induced side effects, especially the appearance of postperitonitic symptoms several weeks after i.p. application of higher doses of titanocene dihalides, are strikingly reduced by pH elevation in the injected drug solutions.

[Tumor inhibition by metallocenes: effect of titanocene, zirconocene, and hafnocene dichlorides on Ehrlich ascites tumor in mice (author's transl)]

The antitumor activity of the metallocene dichlorides TDC, ZDC, and HDC against Ehrlich ascites tumor in CF1 mice is investigated. A single i.p. injection of TDC in the optimum dose (30-60 mg/kg) 24 h p.t.t. achieves survival of 80-90% of the animals until day 180 p.t.t. without any tumor manifestation. This indicates an increase in the mean survival time of about 900% referred to the untreated animals. In contrast, ZDC and HDC exhibit no recognizable antineoplastic properties under equal experimental conditions. Assuming a similar mechanism of tumor inhibition for both DDP and the antineoplastic active metallocene dichlorides TDC, VDC, and MDC the comparatively increased non bonding Cl...Cl distance ("bite") of ZDC and HDC may be responsible for cancerostatic inactivity of the latter compounds.

Dissociation of double-stranded poly(I) . poly(C) by cis-diammine-dichloro-Pt(II)

The covalent binding of cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 on the double stranded poly(I) . poly(C) induced an irreversible dissociation of the two strands. This dissociation was evidenced mainly by poly(I)-Agarose affinity chromatography which allowed to recover free strands of cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2-poly(I) from a cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2-poly(I) . poly(C) complex, by density equilibrium centrifugation where free poly(C) could be isolated, and by acid titrations of the metal-poly(I) . poly(C) complexes. The separation of the two strands of the polyribonucleotide upon cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 fixation was shown not to exceed 90--95%. A dissociation curve of the polynucleotide double helix as a function of the amount of bound cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 was determined and was shown to be of a characteristic cooperative effect. The fixation of the paltinum compound to poly(I) . poly(C) seemed also to be cooperative.

Mutagenicity, cytotoxicity and DNA crosslinking in V79 Chinese hamster cells treated with cis- and trans-Pt(II) diamminedichloride

The mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of cis- and trans-Pt(II) diamminedichloride (PDD) were examined in V79 Chinese hamster lung cells and compared with effects on DNA measured by alkaline elution. DNA--protein crosslinks and DNA interstrand crosslinks were detected following doses of cis-PDD which reduced cell survival 80--90% and which produced a mutant frequency of 3 X 10(-4) at the HGPRT locus. Equitoxic doses of trans-PDD were much less mutagenic than cis-PDD. At equitoxic doses, trans-PDD produced more DNA-protein crosslinking than did cis-PDD, but interstrand crosslinking for the two isomers was comparable. Hence, the interstrand crosslink could be the cytotoxic lesion produced by these Pt compounds whereas neither of these DNA lesions are necessarily mutagenic. The mutagenesis produced by cis-PDD could be due to crosslinks of a different type than those produced by trans-PDD or it may be due to monofunctional damage.

Response of two strains of L5178Y cells to cis-dichlorobis(cyclopentylamine)platinum(II). I. Cross-sensitivity to cis-PAD and UV light

The response to cis-dichlorobis(cyclopentylamine)platinum(II) (cis-PAD) an antitumour platinum complex, was studied in two strains of murine lymphoma L5178Y cross-sensitive to X-rays and UV light. Dose-survival relationship, DNA synthesis formation of chromatid aberrations, progression through the cell cycle, and growth and viability changes after 1 h cis-PA; treatment at 37 degree C were examined and compared with the effects of X-rays and UV light. In both strains, cis-PAD caused immediate inhibition of progression through the cell cycle, reduced rate of DNA synthesis, delayed appearance of chromatid aberrations, and delayed death; however, there is a marked difference in sensitivity to cis-PAD between L5178Y-S strain (D0 approx. 5.8 microgram/ml) and L5178Y-R strain (D0 approx. 2.5 microgram/ml). In both strains a close resemblance was found between dose-survival relationships after cis-PAD and UV light treatment, respectively.

A circular dichroism study of DNA.platinum complexes. Differentiation between monofunctional, cis-bidentate and trans-bidentate platinum fixation on a series of DNAs

The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of a series of DNA . platinum complexes are presented. The following platinum compounds, [Pt(dien)Cl]Cl, cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2, cis-Pt(en)Cl2, trans-Pt-(NH3)2Cl2, K[Pt(NH3)Cl3] and K2[PtCl4] were complexed with the DNA extracted from bacteria Micrococcus lysodeikticus (72% dG + dC), Escherichia coli (50% dG + dC), Clostridium perfringens (32% dG + dC) and salmon sperm (41% dG + dC). Strong differences were found between the different DNA . Pt complexes. Three types of spectra clearly demonstrate the different platinum binding modes on DNA. In the first type, the platinum compound, i.e. [Pt(dien)Cl]Cl, is fixed to DNA with only one bond (monofunctional complex formation) and no significant change of the CD positive band of DNA is found. The main feature of the second type is a continuous intensity decrease of the positive band as observed for trans-Pt(NH3)2Cl2 (trans-bidentate complex formation). The third type concerns the cis-bidentate platinum fixation obtained with cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2, cis-Pt(en)Cl2, K[Pt(NH3)Cl3] and K2[PtCl4]. The CD spectra are in this case characterized by an increase in the positive Cotton effect which is dG + dC-dependent up to an rb value around 0.10 (where rb = number of platinum atoms bound per nucleotide), followed by a decrease until DNA saturation with platinum is reached. A linear decrease in the amplitude of the negative band is detected in all the complexes except in the case of the monofunctional DNA . Pt complexes. For the cis-bidentate and trans-bidentate platinum fixation, a continuous bathochromic shift occurs.