Multifaceted Studies of the DNA Interactions and In Vitro Cytotoxicity of Anticancer Polyaromatic Platinum(II) Complexes.

This study reports a detailed biophysical analysis of the DNA binding and cytotoxicity of six platinum complexes (PCs). They are of the type [Pt(PL )(SS-dach)]Cl2 , where PL is a polyaromatic ligand and SS-dach is 1S,2S-diaminocyclohexane. The DNA binding of these complexes was investigated using six techniques including ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy, linear dichroism, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry and mass spectrometry. This portfolio of techniques has not been extensively used to study the interactions of such complexes previously; each assay provided unique insight. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these compounds was studied in ten cell lines and compared to the effects of their R,R enantiomers; activity was very high in Du145 and SJ-G2 cells, with some submicromolar IC50 values. In terms of both DNA affinity and cytotoxicity, complexes of 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridine exhibited the greatest and least activity, respectively, suggesting that there is some correlation between DNA binding and cytotoxicity.

Transition Metal Intercalators as Anticancer Agents-Recent Advances.

The diverse anticancer utility of cisplatin has stimulated significant interest in the development of additional platinum-based therapies, resulting in several analogues receiving clinical approval worldwide. However, due to structural and mechanistic similarities, the effectiveness of platinum-based therapies is countered by severe side-effects, narrow spectrum of activity and the development of resistance. Nonetheless, metal complexes offer unique characteristics and exceptional versatility, with the ability to alter their pharmacology through facile modifications of geometry and coordination number. This has prompted the search for metal-based complexes with distinctly different structural motifs and non-covalent modes of binding with a primary aim of circumventing current clinical limitations. This review discusses recent advances in platinum and other transition metal-based complexes with mechanisms of action involving intercalation. This mode of DNA binding is distinct from cisplatin and its derivatives. The metals focused on in this review include Pt, Ru and Cu along with examples of Au, Ni, Zn and Fe complexes; these complexes are capable of DNA intercalation and are highly biologically active.

Synthesis and Analysis of the Structure, Diffusion and Cytotoxicity of Heterocyclic Platinum(IV) Complexes.

We have developed six dihydroxidoplatinum(IV) compounds with cytotoxic potential. Each derived from active platinum(II) species, these complexes consist of a heterocyclic ligand (HL) and ancillary ligand (AL) in the form [Pt(HL)(AL)(OH)2](2+), where HL is a methyl-functionalised variant of 1,10-phenanthroline and AL is the S,S or R,R isomer of 1,2-diaminocyclohexane. NMR characterisation and X-ray diffraction studies clearly confirmed the coordination geometry of the octahedral platinum(IV) complexes. The self-stacking of these complexes was determined using pulsed gradient stimulated echo nuclear magnetic resonance. The self-association behaviour of square planar platinum(II) complexes is largely dependent on concentration, whereas platinum(IV) complexes do not aggregate under the same conditions, possibly due to the presence of axial ligands. The cytotoxicity of the most active complex, exhibited in several cell lines, has been retained in the platinum(IV) form.

Stabilization of Long-Looped i-Motif DNA by Polypyridyl Ruthenium Complexes.

A spectroscopic study of the interactions of Λ- and Δ-[Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ with i-motif DNA containing thymine loops of various lengths. In the presence of i-motifs, the luminescence of the Λ enantiomer was enhanced much more than the Δ. Despite this, the effect of each enantiomer on i-motif thermal stability was comparable. The sequences most affected by [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ were those with long thymine loops; this suggests that long-looped i-motifs are attractive targets for potential transition metal complex drugs and should be explored further in drug design.

Exposing "Bright" Metals: Promising Advances in Photoactivated Anticancer Transition Metal Complexes.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an increasingly prominent field in anticancer research. PDT agents are typically nontoxic in the absence of light and can be stimulated with nonionising irradiation to "activate" their cytotoxic effect. Photosensitzers are not classified as chemotherapy drugs although it is advantageous to control the toxicity of a drug through localised irradiation allowing for selective treatment. Transition metals are an extremely versatile class of compounds with various unique properties such as oxidation state, coordination number, redox potential and molecular geometry that can be tailored for specific uses. This makes them excellent PDT candidates as their properties can be manipulated to absorb a specific range of light wavelengths, cross cellular membranes or target specific sites in vitro. This article reviews recent advances in transition metal PDT agents, with a focus on structural scaffolds from which several metal complexes in a series are synthesised, as well as their in vitro cytotoxicity in the presence or absence of irradiation. CONCLUSION: The success of clinical photoactive agents such as Photofrin® has inspired the development of thousands of potential PDT agents. Transition metal complexes in particular have demonstrated excellent versatility and diversity when it comes to PDT for treatment of invasive cancers. This review has highlighted some of the many recent advances of transition metal PDT agents with high in vitro and in vivo phototoxic activity. Photoactive transition metal complexes have proven their potential due to their inherent physicochemical variety, allowing them to fill a niche in the PDT world.

Combining the platinum(ii) drug candidate kiteplatin with 1,10-phenanthroline analogues.

Platinum complexes of the type [Pt(PL)(AL)]2+ where PL is a derivative of 1,10-phenanthroline and AL is cis-1,4-diaminocyclohexane (1,4-dach), have been synthesised and characterised by ultraviolet spectroscopy, elemental microanalysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray crystallography. The calf-thymus DNA binding affinity of these complexes was determined by isothermal titration calorimetry, revealing higher DNA affinity than their 1S,2S-diaminocyclohexane analogues. In vitro cytotoxicity was assessed in eleven human cell lines, revealing unexpectedly low activity for the 1,4-dach complexes.

Investigating the cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes incorporating bidentate pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole "click" ligands.

Six platinum(II) complexes of the type [Pt(PL)(AL)]2+, where PL is a bidentate pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole "click" ligand and AL is the R,R or S,S isomer of 1.2-diaminocyclohexane, have been synthesised and characterised by several methods including elemental microanalysis, proton NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The in vitro cytotoxicity of each complex was assessed in eleven cell lines, revealing moderate to good activity for complexes incorporating 2-(1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine.

Metal complex interactions with DNA.

Increasing numbers of DNA structures are being revealed using biophysical, spectroscopic and genomic methods. The diversity of transition metal complexes is also growing, as the unique contributions that transition metals bring to the overall structure of metal complexes depend on the various coordination numbers, geometries, physiologically relevant redox potentials, as well as kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics. The vast range of ligands that can be utilised must also be considered. Given this diversity, a variety of biological interactions is not unexpected. Specifically, interactions with negatively-charged DNA can arise due to covalent/coordinate or subtle non-coordinate interactions such as electrostatic attraction, groove binding and intercalation as well as combinations of all of these modes. The potential of metal complexes as therapeutic agents is but one aspect of their utility. Complexes, both new and old, are currently being utilised in conjunction with spectroscopic and biological techniques to probe the interactions of DNA and its many structural forms. Here we present a review of metal complex-DNA interactions in which several binding modes and DNA structural forms are explored.

Synthesis and analysis of the anticancer activity of platinum(II) complexes incorporating dipyridoquinoxaline variants.

Eight platinum(II) complexes with anticancer potential have been synthesised and characterised. These complexes are of the type [Pt(I(L))(A(L))](2+), where I(L) is either dipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline (dpq) or 2,3-dimethyl-dpq (23Me2dpq) and A(L) is one of the R,R or S,S isomers of either 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (SS-dach or RR-dach) or 1,2-diaminocyclopentane (SS-dacp or RR-dacp). The CT-DNA binding of these complexes and a series of other complexes were assessed using fluorescent intercalator displacement assays, resulting in unexpected trends in DNA binding affinity. The cytotoxicity of the eight synthesised compounds was determined in the L1210 cell line; the most cytotoxic of these were [Pt(dpq)(SS-dach)]Cl2 and [Pt(dpq)(RR-dach)]Cl2, with IC50 values of 0.19 and 0.80 µM, respectively. The X-ray crystal structure of the complex [Pt(dpq)(SS-dach)](ClO4)2·1.75H2O is also reported.