Studies on cellular accumulation of satraplatin and its major metabolite JM118 and their interactions with glutathione

Jones A, Romero-Canelon I, Erxleben A. Multiaction Pt(IV) Complexes: Cytotoxicity in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines and Mechanistic Studies

Ovarian cancer has the worst case-to-fatality ratio of all gynecologic malignancies. The main reasons for the high mortality rate are relapse and the development of chemoresistance. In this paper, the cytotoxic activity of two new multiaction platinum(IV) derivatives of cisplatin and oxaliplatin in a panel of ovarian cancer cells is reported. Cis,cis,trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2(IPA)(DCA)] (1) and trans-[Pt(DACH)(OX)(IPA)(DCA)] (2) (IPA = indole-3-propionic acid, DCA = dichloroacetate, DACH = 1R,2R-1,2-diaminocyclohexane, OX = oxalate) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, FT-IR, and 1H, 13C, and195Pt NMR spectroscopy. The biological activity was evaluated in A2780, PEA1, PEA2, SKOV3, SW626, and OVCAR3 cells. Both complexes are potent cytotoxins. Remarkably, complex 2 is 14 times more active in OVCAR3 cells than cisplatin and is able to overcome cisplatin resistance in PEA2 and A2780cis cells, which are models of post-treatment patient-developed and laboratory-induced resistance. This complex also shows activity in 3D cancer models of the A2780 cells. Mechanistic studies revealed that the complexes induce apoptosis via DNA damage and ROS generation.

The Strange Case: The Unsymmetric Cisplatin-Based Pt(IV) Prodrug [Pt(CH3COO)Cl2(NH3)2(OH)] Exhibits Higher Cytotoxic Activity with respect to Its Symmetric Congeners due to Carrier-Mediated Cellular Uptake

The biological behavior of the axially unsymmetric antitumor prodrug (OC-6-44)-acetatodiamminedichloridohydroxidoplatinum(IV), 2, was deeply investigated and compared with that of analogous symmetric Pt(IV) complexes, namely, dihydroxido 1 and diacetato 3, which have a similar structure. The complexes were tested on a panel of human tumor cell lines. Complex 2 showed an anomalous higher cytotoxicity (similar to that of cisplatin) with respect to their analogues 1 and 3. Their reduction potentials, reduction kinetics, lipophilicity, and membrane affinity are compared. Cellular uptake and DNA platination of Pt(IV) complexes were deeply investigated in the sensitive A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line and in the corresponding resistant A2780cisR subline. The unexpected activity of 2 appears to be related to its peculiar cellular accumulation and not to a different rate of reduction or a different efficacy in DNA platination and/or efficiency in apoptosis induction. Although the exact mechanism of cell uptake is not fully deciphered, a series of naïve experiments indicates an energy-dependent, carrier-mediated transport: the organic cation transporters (OCTs) are the likely proteins involved.

Pt(IV) antitumor prodrugs: dogmas, paradigms, and realities

Platinum(II)-based drugs are widely used for the treatment of solid tumors, especially in combination protocols. Severe side effects and occurrence of resistance are the major limitations to their clinical use. To overcome these drawbacks, a plethora of Pt(IV) derivatives, acting as anticancer prodrugs, have been designed, synthesized and preclinically (often only in vitro) tested. Here, we summarize the recent progress in the development and understanding of the chemical properties and biochemical features of these Pt(IV) prodrugs, especially those containing bioactive molecules as axial ligands, acting as multi-functional agents. Even though no such prodrugs have been yet approved for clinical use, many show encouraging pharmacological profiles. Thus, a better understanding of their features is a promising approach towards improving the available Pt-based anticancer agents.

A multi-methodological inquiry of the behavior of cisplatin-based Pt(IV) derivatives in the presence of bioreductants with a focus on the isolated encounter complexes

The study of Pt(IV) antitumor prodrugs able to circumvent some drawbacks of the conventional Pt(II) chemotherapeutics is the focus of a lot of attention. This paper reports a thorough study based on experimental methods (reduction kinetics, electrochemistry, tandem mass spectrometry and IR ion spectroscopy) and quantum-mechanical DFT calculations on the reduction mechanism of cisplatin-based Pt(IV) derivatives having two hydroxido (1), one hydroxido and one acetato (2), or two acetato ligands (3) in axial position. The biological reductants glutathione and ascorbic acid were taken into consideration. The presence of a hydroxido ligand resulted to play an important role in the chemical reduction with ascorbic acid, as verified by ¹⁵N-NMR kinetic analysis using ¹⁵N-enriched complexes. The reactivity trend (1 > 2 > 3) does not reflect the respective reduction peak potentials (1 < 2 < 3), an inverse relationship already documented in similar systems. Turning to a simplified environment, the Pt(IV) complexes associated with a single reductant molecule (corresponding to the encounter complex occurring along the reaction coordinate in bimolecular reactions in solution) were characterized by IR ion spectroscopy and sampled for their reactivity under collision-induced dissociation (CID) conditions. The complexes display a comparable reduction reactivity ordering as that observed in solution. DFT calculations of the free energy pathways for the observed fragmentation reactions provide theoretical support for the CID patterns and the mechanistic hypotheses on the reduction process are corroborated by the observed reaction paths. The bulk of these data offers a clue of the intricate pathways occurring in solution.Graphic abstract.

Beyond Cisplatin: Combination Therapy with Arsenic Trioxide

Platinum drugs (cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and carboplatin) and arsenic trioxide are the only commercial inorganic non-radioactive anticancer drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Numerous efforts are underway to take advantage of the synergy between the anticancer activity of cisplatin and arsenic trioxide - two drugs with strikingly different mechanisms of action. These include co-encapsulation of the two drugs in novel nanoscale delivery systems as well as the development of small molecule agents that combine the activity of these two inorganic materials. Several of these new molecular entities containing Pt-As bonds have broad anticancer activity, are robust in physiological buffer solutions, and form stable complexes with biopolymers. This review summarizes results from a number of preclinical studies involving the combination of cisplatin and As2O3, co-encapsulation and nanoformulation efforts, and the chemistry and cytotoxicity of the first member of platinum anticancer agents with an arsenous acid moiety bound to the platinum(II) center: arsenoplatins.

Increased immune cell infiltration in patient-derived tumor explants treated with Traniplatin: an original Pt(iv) pro-drug based on Cisplatin and Tranilast

Elevated intra-tumoral immune infiltrate is associated with an improved prognosis in cancer of distinct origins. Traniplatin (TPT) is a novel platinum(iv) pro-drug based on Cisplatin (CDDP) and the marketed drug Tranilast. When compared in vitro to Cisplatin, TPT showed increased cytotoxic activity against colon and lung cancer cells but decreased activity against immune cells. In addition, TPT efficiency was evaluated in tumor explants derived from colorectal cancer samples from patients subjected to intended curative surgery. TPT induced strong intra-tumoral cytotoxic activity yet was associated with an elevated presence of immune cell infiltrate, suggesting a reduced cytotoxic activity against immune cells in colorectal cancer.

Tunable Signal-Off and Signal-On Electrochemical Cisplatin Sensor

We report the first electrochemical cisplatin sensor fabricated with a thiolated and methylene blue (MB)-modified oligo-adenine (A)-guanine (G) DNA probe. Depending on the probe coverage, the sensor can behave as a signal-off or signal-on sensor. For the high-coverage sensor, formation of intrastrand Pt(II)-AG adducts rigidifies the oligo-AG probe, resulting in a concentration-dependent decrease in the MB signal. For the low-coverage sensor, the increase in probe-to-probe spacing enables binding of cisplatin via the intrastrand GNG motif (N = A), generating a bend in the probe which results in an increase in the MB current. Although both high-coverage signal-off and low-coverage signal-on sensors are capable of detecting cisplatin, the signal-on sensing mechanism is better suited for real time analysis of cisplatin. The low-coverage sensor has a lower limit of detection, wider optimal AC frequency range, and faster response time. It has high specificity for cisplatin and potentially other Pt(II) drugs and does not cross-react with satraplatin, a Pt(IV) prodrug. It is also selective enough to be employed directly in 50% saliva and 50% urine. This detection strategy may offer a new approach for sensitive and real time analysis of cisplatin in clinical samples.

Enhanced anti-cancer efficacy to cancer cells by a novel monofunctional mononuclear platinum(ii) complex containing a mixed S,N,S-donor ligand

A novel platinum–intercalator hybrid complex (1) exhibits a cytotoxicity comparable to that of cisplatin against MCF-7 cell lines, and more potent activities against HeLa and A-549 cell lines, especially against the former.

Activation of Platinum(IV) Prodrugs by Cytochrome c and Characterization of the Protein Binding Sites

Platinum(IV) complexes generally require reduction to reactive Pt(II) species to exert their chemotherapeutic activity. The process of reductive activation of (15)N-labeled (OC-6-43)-bis(acetato)diamminedichloridoplatinum(IV), in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and horse heart cytochrome c (cyt c), was monitored by (1)H,(15)N-HSQC NMR spectroscopy and protein digestion experiments. It has been shown that cyt c plays a catalytic role in the transfer of two reducing equivalents from NADH to Pt(IV) species. Noncovalent interactions between reduced monoaqua cisplatin (cis-[PtCl((15)NH3)2(H2O)](+)) and the protein, in the proximity of the heme cofactor, and also covalent binding of platinum to the protein region around Met65 and Met80 take place.

Quantitative evaluation of cellular uptake, DNA incorporation and adduct formation in cisplatin sensitive and resistant cell lines: Comparison of different Pt-containing drugs

The use of Pt-containing compounds as chemotherapeutic agents facilitates drug monitoring by using highly sensitive elemental techniques like inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). However, methodological problems arise when trying to compare different experiments due to the high variability of biological parameters. In this work we have attempted to identify and correct such variations in order to compare the biological behavior of cisplatin, oxaliplatin and pyrodach-2 (a novel platinum-containing agent). A detailed study to address differential cellular uptake has been conducted in three different cell lines: lung adenocarcinoma (A549); cisplatin-sensitive ovarian carcinoma (A2780); and cisplatin-resistant ovarian carcinoma (A2780cis). The normalization of Pt results to cell mass, after freeze-drying, has been used to minimize the errors associated with cell counting. Similarly, Pt accumulation in DNA has been evaluated by referencing the Pt results to the DNA concentration, as measured by (31)P monitoring using flow-injection and ICP-MS detection. These strategies have permitted to address significantly lower Pt levels in the resistant cells when treated with cisplatin or oxaliplatin as well as an independent behaviour from the cell type (sensitive or resistant) for pyrodach-2. Similarly, different levels of incorporation in DNA have been found for the three drugs depending on the cell model revealing a different behavior regarding cell cisplatin resistance. Further speciation experiments (by using complementary HPLC-ICP-MS and HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF MS) have shown that the main target in DNA is still the N7 of the guanine but with different kinetics of the ligand exchange mechanism for each of the compounds under evaluation.

Recent Advances in Platinum (IV) Complex-Based Delivery Systems to Improve Platinum (II) Anticancer Therapy

Cisplatin and its platinum (Pt) (II) derivatives play a key role in the fight against various human cancers such as testicular, ovarian, head and neck, lung tumors. However, their application in clinic is limited due to dose- dependent toxicities and acquired drug resistances, which have prompted extensive research effort toward the development of more effective Pt (II) delivery strategies. The synthesis of Pt (IV) complex is one such an area of intense research fields, which involves their in vivo conversion into active Pt (II) molecules under the reducing intracellular environment, and has demonstrated encouraging preclinical and clinical outcomes. Compared with Pt (II) complexes, Pt (IV) complexes not only exhibit an increased stability and reduced side effects, but also facilitate the intravenous-to-oral switch in cancer chemotherapy. The overview briefly analyzes statuses of Pt (II) complex that are in clinical use, and then focuses on the development of Pt (IV) complexes. Finally, recent advances in Pt (IV) complexes in combination with nanocarriers are highlighted, addressing the shortcomings of Pt (IV) complexes, such as their instability in blood and irreversibly binding to plasma proteins and nonspecific distribution, and taking advantage of passive and active targeting effect to improve Pt (II) anticancer therapy.

Oxaliplatin analogues with carboxy derivatives of boldine with enhanced antioxidant activity

A new oxaliplatin analog [Pt(dach)(L5)] (1) was synthesized and characterized as a continuation of a study of the previously reported [Pt(dach)(L6)] (2), where dach = (1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane, L5 = 3-carboxyboldine, and L6 = 3-carboxypredicentrine. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited a substantially enhanced antioxidant activity compared to oxaliplatin (130 and 30 times for 1 and 13 and 4 times for 2 using the DPPH and FRAP assays, resp.). In addition, 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxic activity in the same range as oxaliplatin toward the two human tumor cell lines (MCF-7 and HT-29) studied and two to four times lower activity in the human colon nontumor cell line (CCD-841). Preadministration of L5 or L6 to the colon tumor (HT-29) and the colon nontumor (CCD-841) cell lines prior to oxaliplatin addition increased the viability of the nontumor cell line to a greater extent than that of the tumor cell line.

Multifunctional polyamidoamine-modified selenium nanoparticles dual-delivering siRNA and cisplatin to A549/DDP cells for reversal multidrug resistance

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major barrier against effective cancer treatment. Dual-delivering a therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) and chemotherapeutic agents has been developed to reverse drug resistance in tumor cells. In this study, amine-terminated generation 5 polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (G5.NH2)-modified selenium nanoparticles (G5@Se NP) were synthesized for the systemic dual-delivery of mdr1 siRNA and cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum-(II), DDP), which was demonstrated to enhance siRNA loading, releasing efficiency and gene-silencing efficacy. When the mdr1 siRNA was conjugated with G5@Se NP via electrostatic interaction, a significant down-regulation of P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance-associated protein expression was observed; G5@Se-DDP-siRNA arrested A549/DDP cells at G1 phase and led to enhanced cytotoxicity in A549/DDP cells through induction of apoptosis involving the AKT and ERK signaling pathways. Interestingly, G5@Se-DDP NP were much less reactive than DDP in the reactions with both MT and GSH, indicating that loading of DDP in a nano-delivery system could effectively prevent cell detoxification. Furthermore, animal studies demonstrated that the new delivery system of G5@Se-DDP-siRNA significantly enhanced the anti-tumor effect on tumor-bearing nude mice, with no appreciable abnormality in the major organs. These results suggest that G5@Se NP could be a potential platform to combine chemotherapy and gene therapy technology in the treatment of human disease.

Biological activity of a series of cisplatin-based aliphatic bis(carboxylato) Pt(IV) prodrugs: how long the organic chain should be?

The biological properties of a series of cisplatin-based Pt(IV) prodrug candidates, namely trans,cis,cis-[Pt(carboxylato)2Cl2(NH3)2], where carboxylato=CH3(CH2)nCOO(-) [(1), n=0; (2), n=2; (3), n=4; (4), n=6] having a large interval of lipophilicity are discussed. The stability of the complexes was tested in different pH conditions (i.e. from 1.0 to 9.0) to simulate the hypothetical conditions for an oral route of administration, showing a high stability (>90%). The transformation into their active Pt(II) metabolites was demonstrated in the presence of ascorbic acid, with a pseudo-first order kinetics, the half-time of which smoothly decreases as the chain length of carboxylic acid increases. Their antiproliferative activity has been evaluated in vitro on a large panel of human cancer cell lines. As expected, the potency increases with the chain length: 3 and 4 resulted by far more active than cisplatin on all cell lines of about one or two orders of magnitude, respectively. Both complexes retained their activity also on cisplatin-resistant cell line, and exhibited a progressive increase of the selectivity compared with non-tumor cells. These results were confirmed with more prolonged treatment (up to 14days) studied on multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs). In this case the Pt(IV) complexes exert a protracted antiproliferative action, even if the drug is removed from the culture medium. Finally, in a time-course experiment of the total platinum evaluation in mice blood (after a single oral administration of the title complexes), 2 gave the best results, representing a good compromise between lipophilicity and water solubility, that increase and decrease respectively on passing from 1 to 4.

Membrane transporters as mediators of Cisplatin effects and side effects

Transporters are important mediators of specific cellular uptake and thus, not only for effects, but also for side effects, metabolism, and excretion of many drugs such as cisplatin. Cisplatin is a potent cytostatic drug, whose use is limited by its severe acute and chronic nephro-, oto-, and peripheral neurotoxicity. For this reason, other platinum derivatives, such as carboplatin and oxaliplatin, with less toxicity but still with antitumoral action have been developed. Several transporters, which are expressed on the cell membranes, have been associated with cisplatin transport across the plasma membrane and across the cell: the copper transporter 1 (Ctr1), the copper transporter 2 (Ctr2), the P-type copper-transporting ATPases ATP7A and ATP7B, the organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2), and the multidrug extrusion transporter 1 (MATE1). Some of these transporters are also able to accept other platinum derivatives as substrate. Since membrane transporters display a specific tissue distribution, they can be important molecules that mediate the entry of platinum derivatives in target and also nontarget cells possibly mediating specific effects and side effects of the chemotherapeutic drug. This paper summarizes the literature on toxicities of cisplatin compared to that of carboplatin and oxaliplatin and the interaction of these platinum derivatives with membrane transporters.

Clinical and pharmacokinetic evaluation of satraplatin

INTRODUCTION

The toxicities of cisplatin, that is, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and emesis, provided the impetus for the development of more tolerable platinum analogs. Satraplatin is an investigational third-generation orally available lipophilic platinum, which has demonstrated safety and antitumor activity in multiple settings.

AREAS COVERED

The clinical activity of satraplatin in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), breast, lung and other advanced solid tumors is discussed with a focus on its pharmacokinetic properties. The article was formulated using publications found through PubMed search in addition to presentations given at major conferences.

EXPERT OPINION

Satraplatin was associated with dose-limiting myelosuppression, but no significant ototoxicity, neurotoxicity or nephrotoxicity. Despite the activity of satraplatin in mCRPC, survival was not extended in an unselected population included in a Phase III trial. While further development of satraplatin in large Phase III trials is not planned at this time, efforts are ongoing to develop tailored therapy in mCRPC based on excision repair cross-complementing group 1 expression or BRCAness. Moreover, based on potentially better central nervous system penetration due to lipophilicity, evaluation in patients with brain tumors is ongoing. Given the favorable toxicity profile and convenient oral administration, satraplatin may warrant development in settings that preclude cisplatin, for example, underlying renal dysfunction, elderly age and poor performance status.

Platinum anticancer drugs. From serendipity to rational design

The discovery of cis-platin was serendipitous. In 1965, Rosenberg was looking into the effects of an electric field on the growth of Escherichia coli bacteria. He noticed that bacteria ceased to divide when placed in an electric field but what Rosenberg also observed was a 300-fold increase in the size of the bacteria. He attributed this to the fact that somehow the platinum-conducting plates were inducing cell growth but inhibiting cell division. It was later deduced that the platinum species responsible for this was cis-platin. Rosenberg hypothesized that if cis-platin could inhibit bacterial cell division it could also stop tumor cell growth. This conjecture has proven correct and has led to the introduction of cis-platin in cancer therapy. Indeed, in 1978, six years after clinical trials conducted by the NCI and Bristol-Myers-Squibb, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cis-platin under the name of Platinol(®) for treating patients with metastatic testicular or ovarian cancer in combination with other drugs but also for treating bladder cancer. Bristol-Myers Squibb also licensed carboplatin, a second-generation platinum drug with fewer side effects, in 1979. Carboplatin entered the U.S. market as Paraplatin(®) in 1989 for initial treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in established combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents. Numerous platin derivatives have been further developed with more or less success and the third derivative to be approved in 1994 was oxaliplatin under the name of Eloxatin(®). It was the first platin-based drug to be active against metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with fluorouracil and folinic acid. The two others platin-based drugs to be approved were nedaplatin (Aqupla(®)) in Japan and lobaplatin in China, respectively. More recently, a strategy to overcome resistance due to interaction with thiol-containing molecules led to the synthesis of picoplatin in which one of the amines linked to Pt was replaced by a bulky methyl substituted pyridine allowing the drug more time to reach its target, DNA. On the other hand, efforts which were made to find new orally administered analog led to satraplatin bearing to axial acetate groups. Both drugs are still under clinical trials. An alternatively route to the discovery of new derivatives turns to the development of improved delivery strategies such as liposomes and polymers. Liposomal cis-platin or lipoplatin in under a phase III randomized clinical trial for patients suffering from small cell lung cancer whereas polymer-based drug, Prolindac™ is currently under investigation for pretreated ovarian cancers in up to eight European centers.