Novel Concepts in the Development of Platinum Antitumour Drugs: An Update

Cisplatin: The first metal based anticancer drug

Cisplatin or (SP-4-2)-diamminedichloridoplatinum(II) is one of the most potential and widely used drugs for the treatment of various solid cancers such as testicular, ovarian, head and neck, bladder, lung, cervical cancer, melanoma, lymphomas and several others. Cisplatin exerts anticancer activity via multiple mechanisms but its most acceptable mechanism involves generation of DNA lesions by interacting with purine bases on DNA followed by activation of several signal transduction pathways which finally lead to apoptosis. However, side effects and drug resistance are the two inherent challenges of cisplatin which limit its application and effectiveness. Reduction of drug accumulation inside cancer cells, inactivation of drug by reacting with glutathione and metallothioneins and faster repairing of DNA lesions are responsible for cisplatin resistance. To minimize cisplatin side effects and resistance, combination therapies are used and have proven more effective to defect cancers. This article highlights a systematic description on cisplatin which includes a brief history, synthesis, action mechanism, resistance, uses, side effects and modulation of side effects. It also briefly describes development of platinum drugs from very small cisplatin complex to very large next generation nanocarriers conjugated platinum complexes.

Synthesis, characterization, activities, cell uptake and DNA binding of trinuclear complex: [{trans-PtCl(NH3)}2μ-{trans-Pt(NH3)(2-hydroxypyridine)-(H2N(CH2)6NH2)2]Cl4

The trinuclear complex: [{trans-PtCl(NH(3))}(2)mu-{trans-Pt(NH(3))(2-hydroxypyridine)-(H(2)N(CH(2))(6)NH(2))(2)]Cl(4) (code named CH9) has been synthesized and characterized. The activity of the compound against human ovarian cancer cell lines: A2780, A2780(cisR) and A2780(ZD0473R), cell up take, level of binding with DNA and nature of its interaction with pBR322 plasmid DNA have been determined. Although the compound is found to be less active (about a half time as active as cisplatin) against the parent ovary cell line A2780, it is found to be more active than cisplatin against resistant cell lines: A2780(cisR) (3.6 times more) and A2780(ZD0473R) (3.4 times more). The higher activity of CH9 against the resistant cell lines suggests that the compound has been able to overcome multiple mechanisms of resistance operating in A2780(cisR) and A2780(ZD0473R) cell lines. Like other multicentered complexes, the compound is believed to form a range of interstrand GG adducts with duplex DNA that induces permanent global changes in the DNA conformation. This binding is different from that of cisplatin and ZD0473 that form mainly intrastrand adducts, inducing a local kink in a DNA strand. Increasing prevention of BamH1 digestion of form I and form II pBR322 plasmid DNA with the increase in concentration of CH9 provides support to the idea that global changes in DNA conformation are induced as a result of its interaction with the compound.

A comparative kinetic study of modified Pt(dppf)Cl2 complexes and their interactions with l-cys and l-met

With the success of cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)), strong interest has developed in the application of inorganic metal complexes to the treatment of cancer. Research has focused on platinum(II) complexes with a variety of spectator ligands that provide novel physicochemical properties. In this paper we report a kinetic study of 1',1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenedichloroplatinum(II) and two related compounds with either an acetate or amide ester substituent attached to the cyclopentadienyl ring. For all compounds the reactivity towards L-cysteine and L-methionine in aqueous solution has been investigated (25 degrees C, I= 0.010 M and pseudo-first-order conditions). For the reactions with l-cysteine and l-methionine the reactions proceeded via a steady-state aquated intermediate to form mono (0.92(2)-3.25(4)) x 10(-3) s(-1)) and bis adducts (0.97(2)-3.67(4)) x 10(-4) s(-1)). For reactions with l-cysteine, direct reactions with the starting complex also contributed (mono adduct: 0.36(2)-1.41(4) M(-1) s(-1), bis adduct: 0.080(1)-0.96(1) M(-1) s(-1)). The attached substituents were found to have a significant effect upon the reaction kinetics, with the substituted complexes found to have increased reactivity. It is proposed that the increased reactivity stems from hydrogen bonding between the substituent and the entering ligand and subsequent outer-sphere complex stabilisation. Evidence in support of this theory was obtained form measurements in dichloromethane with 1-propanethiol as the entering ligand. The reactivity of the dppf containing complexes was also compared to that of cisplatin (mono adduct: (0.170(1)-0.175(1)) x 10(-3) s(-1), bis adduct: (0.183(1)-0.397(1)) x 10(-4) s(-1)) and found to be significantly enhanced.