Angela Boccarelli

Platinum(II) complexes containing iminoethers: a trans platinum antitumour agent

The biological activity of cis and trans complexes of formula [PtCl2(HN = C(OMe)Me)2] has been investigated. The iminoether ligands can have either E or Z configuration about the C = N double bond, therefore EE, EZ and ZZ isomers are obtainable. Substitution of iminoether with EE configuration for amine leads to unexpectedly high antitumor activity for the complex with trans geometry which turns out to be more active than the cis congener in the P388 leukaemia system. The same trans-EE complex shows an activity comparable to that of cisplatin in reducing the primary tumour mass and lung metastases in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, thus representing a trans platinum complex active on both limphoproliferative and solid metastasizing murine tumours. Also the cytotoxicity, the inhibition of DNA synthesis and the mutagenic activity, which are greater for the cis- with respect to the trans-isomer in the amine complexes, are instead greater for the trans- than for the cis- isomer in the case of iminoether compounds. Binding to calf thymus DNA is slower for iminoether complexes than it is for amine complexes, however after 24 h reaction time the level of binding is similar for both types of complexes. Trans-EE, like trans-DDP, does not give the DNA conformational alterations (terbium fluorescence) typical of antitumour-active cis- platinum compounds, but, under strictly analogous experimental conditions, shows a greatly reduced DNA interstrand cross-linking ability (heat denaturation/renaturation assay) with respect to either trans-DDP or cis-EE and cis-DDP. The data in hand point to a new trans platinum antitumour complex with a mechanism of action different from that of cis-DDP and classical analogues.

Zoledronic acid affects over-angiogenic phenotype of endothelial cells in patients with multiple myeloma

Therapeutic doses of zoledronic acid markedly inhibit in vitro proliferation, chemotaxis, and capillarogenesis of bone marrow endothelial cells of patients with multiple myeloma. Zoledronic acid also induces a sizeable reduction of angiogenesis in the in vivo chorioallantoic membrane assay. These effects are partly sustained by gene and protein inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in an autocrine loop. Mevastatin, a specific inhibitor of the mevalonate pathway, reverts the zoledronic acid antiangiogenic effect, indicating that the drug halts this pathway. Our results provide evidence of a direct antiangiogenic activity of zoledronic acid on multiple myeloma patient-derived endothelial cells due to at least four different mechanisms identified either in vitro or in vivo. Tentatively, we suggest that the zoledronic acid antitumoral activity in multiple myeloma is also sustained by antiangiogenesis, which would partly account for its therapeutic efficacy in multiple myeloma. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(12):3256–62]

In vitro and in vivo antitumour activity and cellular pharmacological properties of new platinum–iminoether complexes with different configuration at the iminoether ligands

In order to widen our knowledge on antitumour trans-[PtCl2(iminoether)2] complexes, we have synthesised two new derivatives, trans-[PtCl2¿E-HN = C(OEt)Me¿2] (1) and trans-[PtCl2¿Z-HN = C(OEt)Me¿2] (2), which differ in the configuration of the iminoether ligands. Isomer 1 showed an in vitro cytotoxicity similar to that of cisplatin in a panel of human tumour cell lines (mean IC50 = 8 and 7.7 microM, respectively), whereas isomer 2 showed a lower activity (IC50 = 14.3 microM). Both 1 and 2 isomers overcame cisplatin resistance of ovarian cancer cell line A2780/Cp8. In agreement with the n-octanol/saline partition ratios, intracellular platinum content (and DNA platination) after a 2-h exposure to equimolar drug concentrations was in the order 1 > 2 >> cisplatin, thus indicating that substitution of imminoethers for ammines determines a major lipophilicity and cellular uptake of the platinum drug. Both 1 and 2 showed a major toxic effect towards an excision repair-defective Drosophila strain, thus indicating cellular DNA as cytotoxic target. Finally, both 1 and 2 were active in vivo against the murine P388 system, but, contrary to the in vitro activity, isomer 2 was slightly more active than 1. On the whole, the results confirm the antitumour activity of trans-[PtCl2(iminoether)2] complexes, and indicate that the configuration of the iminoether ligands may affect the pharmacological properties of this class of complexes.

Rhodium(III) analogues of antitumour-active ruthenium(III) compounds: the crystal structure of [ImH][trans-RhCl4(Im)2] (Im= imidazole)

A series of neutral and anionic Rh(III)-chloride compounds bearing ammonia or imidazole (Im) ligands, and isostructural to Ru(III) complexes endowed with antineoplastic activity, were synthesized and characterized spectroscopically. The X-ray crystal structure of [ImH][ trans -RhCl 4 (Im) 2 ] was determined. Crystal data: monoclinic, space group C 2/ c , Z =4, a =13.133(3), b =7.977(1), c =16.683(4) A, β =113.84(2)°. The solution behaviour and some biological parameters of the new rhodium compounds, including cytotoxicity, in vitro interactions with DNA and in vivo antitumour activity against a tumour model, were investigated and compared with those of the corresponding ruthenium analogues.

Anti-leukaemic action of RuCl2(DMSO)4 isomers and prevention of brain involvement on P388 leukaemia and on P388/DDP subline

Two ruthenium(II) complexes, characterised by the presence of dimethylsulphoxide ligands, were investigated in comparison to cisplatin on mouse P388 leukaemia and on a subline made resistant to cisplatin (P388/DDP). Both cis- and trans-RuCl2(DMSO)4 significantly prolonged the survival time of leukaemic mice, independently of the tumour line used. Unlike cisplatin, the prolongation of life-span of tumour-bearing hosts caused by ruthenium complexes was not supported by a parallel inhibition of the number of tumour cells in the treated hosts, as evidenced by tumour cell count in the peritoneal cavity and by vivo-vivo bioassays of blood samples and of whole brains. Thus, cis- and trans-RuCl2(DMSO)4 appear capable of preventing leukaemic spread into the central nervous system also when the number of tumour cells in the peritoneal cavity and in the blood stream is as high as in untreated controls. When the drug-induced DNA damage was investigated by modifying double stranded DNA and identifying the lesions able to inhibit DNA synthesis in vitro, trans-RuCl2(DMSO)4 and, to a lesser extent, cis-RuCl2(DMSO)4 formed blocking lesions at the same sites of cisplatin; nevertheless, the mechanism of antitumour activity of ruthenium complexes appears to be different from that of cisplatin for the absence of any relationship between cytotoxicity and prevention of leukaemic dissemination into the central nervous system. These data indicate that the activity of cis- and trans-RuCl2(DMSO)4 on the P388 leukaemia is characterised by the lack of cross-resistance with cisplatin and by the alteration of the metastasising behaviour of leukaemic cells which lose their natural capacity to invade the central nervous system.

Mechanistic insight into the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases by platinum substrates.

Platinum compounds are among the most used DNA-damaging anticancer drugs, however they can also be tailored to target biological substrates different from DNA, for instance enzymes involved in cancer progression. We recently reported that some platinum complexes with three labile ligands inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity in a selective way. We have now extended the investigation to a series of platinum complexes having three chlorido or one chlorido and a dimethylmalonato leaving ligands. All compounds are strong inhibitors of MMP-3 by a noncompetitive mechanism, while platinum drugs in clinical use are not. Structural investigations reveal that the platinum substrate only loses two labile ligands, which are replaced by an imidazole nitrogen of His224 and a hydroxyl group, while it retains one chlorido ligand. A chlorido and a hydroxyl group are also present in the zinc complex inhibitor of carboxypeptidase A, whose active site has strong analogies with that of MMP-3.

Synthesis, Biophysical Studies, and Antiproliferative Activity of Platinum(II) Complexes Having 1,2-Bis(aminomethyl)carbobicyclic Ligands

A selected chemical library of six platinum(II) complexes having 1,2-bis(aminomethyl)carbobicyclic ligands were synthesized after a rational design in order to evaluate their antiproliferative activity and the structure-activity relationships. The cytotoxicity studies were performed using cancer cell lines sensitive (A2780) and resistant (A2780R) to cisplatin. Excellent cytotoxicity was observed for most of complexes, which presented better resistance factors than cisplatin against the A2780R cell line. The interaction of these complexes with DNA, as the target biomolecule, was evaluated by several methods: DNA-platinum binding kinetics, changes in the DNA melting temperature, evaluation of the unwinding angle of supercoiled DNA, evaluation of the interstrand cross-links, and replication mapping. The kinetics of the interaction with glutathione was also investigated to better understand the resistant factors observed for the new complexes.

IMINOETHERS AS CARRIER LIGANDS: A NOVEL TRANS-PLATINUM COMPLEX POSSESSING IN VITRO AND IN VIVO ANTITUMOUR ACTIVITY.

The platinum-based anticancer drug cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2] (cis-DDP) is one of the most effective drugs available for the treatment of human tumours,1 whereas its trans isomer (trans-DDP) is inactive.2–6 The clinical efficacy of cis-DDP is, however, limited by tumour cell resistance present either in the onset of treatment (intrinsic) or after an initial response (acquired)7 Cis-DDP resistance appears to be mediated by factors which reduce platinum-DNA adduct formation, e.g. reduced intracellular accumulation, increased inactivation by intracellular thiols, increased repair8 or tolerance of platinum-DNA adducts.9