Novel NF-κB Inhibitor-Conjugated Pt(IV) Prodrug to Enable Cancer Therapy through ROS/ER Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Overcome Multidrug Resistance

J Med Chem. 2024 Apr 25;67(8):6218-6237. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02182. Epub 2024 Apr 4.

Abstract

Although cisplatin has been widely used for clinical purposes, its application is limited due to its obvious side effects. To mitigate the defects of cisplatin, here, six "multitarget prodrugs" were synthesized by linking cisplatin and NF-κB inhibitors. Notably, complex 9 demonstrated a 63-fold enhancement in the activity against A549/CDDP cells with lower toxicity toward normal LO2 cells compared to cisplatin. Additionally, complex 9 could effectively cause DNA damage, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, generate reactive oxygen species, and induce cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway and ER stress. Remarkably, complex 9 effectively inhibited the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway and disrupted the PI3K/AKT signaling transduction. Importantly, complex 9 showed superior in vivo antitumor efficiency compared to cisplatin or the combination of cisplatin/4, without obvious systemic toxicity in A549 or A549/CDDP xenograft models. Our results demonstrated that the dual-acting mechanism endowed the complexes with high efficiency and low toxicity, which may represent an efficient strategy for cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / drug effects
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress* / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitochondria* / drug effects
  • Mitochondria* / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B* / metabolism
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / chemistry
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / pharmacology
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / therapeutic use
  • Prodrugs* / chemical synthesis
  • Prodrugs* / chemistry
  • Prodrugs* / pharmacology
  • Prodrugs* / therapeutic use
  • Reactive Oxygen Species* / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Prodrugs
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • NF-kappa B
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cisplatin
  • Organoplatinum Compounds