Wu Kui

Investigations of molecular mechanism of action of metal-based anticancer complexes by mass spectrometry

Soft ionization mass spectrometry, including electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assistant laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry, has emerged to be one of the most powerful tool for studying the interactions between metal-based anticancer complexes and biological targets such as proteins and DNA. While the application of mass spectrometry imaging for the researches in the mechanism of action of anticancer metallodrugs in vitro and in vivo is being ascendant. Based on the research progress of our group in exploring the mechanism of action of metal-based anticancer complexes, this article summarizes and reviews the applications of mass spectrometry in deciphering the antitumor mechanism of platinum- and ruthenium-based anticancer complexes, discusses the update advances in the investigation of interactions between metal-based anticancer complexes and proteins/DNA by mass spectrometry, and looks into the future application and tendency at this cutting-edge research field.