Multifunctional Pt(iv) prodrug candidates featuring the carboplatin core and deferoxamine

Dalton Trans. 2021 Jun 21;50(23):8167-8178. doi: 10.1039/d1dt00214g. Epub 2021 May 25.

Abstract

The synergistic combination of the anticancer drug carboplatin and the iron chelator deferoxamine (DFO) served as a foundation for the development of novel multifunctional prodrugs. Hence, five platinum(iv) complexes, featuring the equatorial coordination sphere of carboplatin, and one or two DFO units incorporated at axial positions, were synthesized and characterized using ESI-HRMS, multinuclear (1H, 13C, 15N, 195Pt) NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Analytical studies demonstrated that the chelating properties of the DFO moiety were not compromised after coupling to the platinum(iv) core. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds was evaluated in monolayer (2D) and spheroid (3D) cancer cell models, derived from ovarian teratocarcinoma (CH1/PA-1), colon carcinoma (SW480) and non-small cell lung cancer (A549). The platinum(iv)-DFO prodrugs demonstrated moderate in vitro cytotoxicity (a consequence of their slow activation kinetics) but with less pronounced differences between intrinsically chemoresistant and chemosensitive cell lines as well as between 2D and 3D models than the clinically used platinum(ii) drug carboplatin.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Carboplatin / chemistry
  • Carboplatin / pharmacology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Deferoxamine / chemistry
  • Deferoxamine / pharmacology*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / chemistry
  • Organoplatinum Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Prodrugs / chemical synthesis
  • Prodrugs / chemistry
  • Prodrugs / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Organoplatinum Compounds
  • Prodrugs
  • Carboplatin
  • Deferoxamine