Unusual reactivity of cytotoxic cis-dihydrazide Pt(II) complexes in aqueous solution

Abstract Complexes of the general structure cis -[PtX 2 (hydrazide) 2 ] and cis -[PtX 2 NH 3 (hydrazide)], where X=Cl − , Br − and I − , and hydrazide=cyclohexylcarboxylic acid hydrazide (chcah), cyclopentylcarboxylic acid hydrazide (cpcah), 3-aminocyclohexanspiro-5-hydantoin (achsh) and 3-aminocyclopentanspiro-5-hydantoin (acpsh), were investigated with respect to aqueous stability, DNA platination rates and cytotoxic activity on a panel of seven human cancer cell lines as well as a cisplatin-resistant cell line. Stabilities in aqueous solution, determined by RP-HPLC and UV–Vis methods, were highly dependent on the type of halide ligand, with stability decreasing in the order I − >Cl − >Br − . Added chloride (100 mM) only stabilized the dichloro-Pt(II) complexes containing the hydrazide as part of a hydantoin ring (i.e., achsh). Platination of calf thymus DNA determined by AAS was most rapid with dichloro-Pt(II) complexes containing achsh ligand. The mixed-amine dichloro-Pt(II) complexes with either chcah or cpcah ligands also platinated DNA >80%, but at a slower rate, while dihydrazide dichloro-Pt(II) complexes with either chcah or cpcah ligands resulted in cis -[PtX 2 (hydrazide) 2 ], where hydrazide=chcah or cpcah, were the most potent compounds (chcah>cpcah), but activity was independent of the halide ligand (I − =Cl − =Br − ). These complexes showed no cross-resistance with cisplatin, but they also showed little differentiation in potency over the seven cell lines. Complexes with the hydantoin ligands achsh and acpsh were inactive in all cell lines. Thus, neither stability in aqueous media nor covalent binding to DNA are correlated with biological activity, suggesting that cis -dihydrazide Pt(II) complexes act by a unique mechanism of action.