DNA and glutathione interactions in cell-free media of asymmetric platinum(II) complexes cis- and trans-[PtCl2(isopropylamine)(1-methylimidazole)]: relations to their different antitumor effects

The global modification of mammalian and plasmid DNAs by the novel platinum compounds cis-[PtCl₂(isopropylamine)(1-methylimidazole)] and trans-[PtCl₂(isopropylamine)(1-methylimidazole)] and the reactivity of these compounds with reduced glutathione (GSH) were investigated in cell-free media using various biochemical and biophysical methods. Earlier cytotoxicity studies had revealed that the replacement of the NH₃ groups in cisplatin by the azole and isopropylamine ligands lowers the activity of cisplatin in both sensitive and resistant cell lines. The results of the present work show that this replacement does not considerably affect the DNA modifications by this drug, recognition of these modifications by HMGB1 protein, their repair, and reactivity of the platinum complex with GSH. These results were interpreted to mean that the reduced activity of this analog of cisplatin in tumor cell lines is due to factors that do not operate at the level of the target DNA. In contrast, earlier studies had shown that the replacement of the NH₃ groups in the clinically ineffective trans isomer (transplatin) by the azole and isopropylamine ligands results in a radical enhancement of its activity in tumor cell lines. Importantly, this replacement also markedly alters the DNA binding mode of transplatin, which is distinctly different from that of cisplatin, but does not affect reactivity with GSH. Hence, the results of the present work are consistent with the view and support the hypothesis systematically tested by us and others that platinum drugs that bind to DNA in a fundamentally different manner from that of conventional cisplatin may have altered pharmacological properties.     

DNA binding mode of the cis and trans geometries of new antitumor nonclassical platinum complexes containing piperidine,piperazine, or 4-picoline ligand in cell-free media. Relations to their activity in cancer cell lines

The global modification of mammalian and plasmid DNAs by novel platinum compounds, cis- or trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(Am)], where Am = NH(3), nonplanar heterocycle piperidine, piperazine, or aromatic planar heterocycle 4-picoline, was investigated in cell-free media using various biochemical and biophysical methods. These modifications have been compared with the activity of these new compounds in several tumor cell lines including those resistant to antitumor cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin). The results show that the replacement of the NH(3) group in cisplatin by the heterocyclic ligands does not considerably affect the DNA binding mode of this drug. Cytotoxicity studies have revealed that the replacement lowers the activity of the platinum compound in both sensitive and resistant cell lines. It has been suggested that the reduced activity of these analogues of cisplatin is associated with some features of the damaged DNA and/or its cellular processing. Alternatively, the reduced activity of the analogues of cisplatin might also be due to the factors that do not operate directly at the level of the target DNA, such as intracellular platinum uptake. In contrast to the analogues of cisplatin, the replacement of one ammine group by the heterocyclic ligand in its clinically ineffective trans isomer (transplatin) results in a radical enhancement of its activity in tumor cell lines. Importantly, this replacement also markedly alters the DNA binding mode of transplatin. The results support the view that one strategy of how to activate the trans geometry in bifunctional platinum(II) compounds including circumvention of resistance to cisplatin may consist of a chemical modification of the ineffective transplatin that results in an increased stability of its intrastrand cross-links in double-helical DNA and/or in an increased efficiency to form interstrand cross-links.     

Structure-activity relationship studies for three new asymmetric cis-platinum(II) aminoethanol-based complexes

The design and synthesis of three asymmetrical platinum(II) analogues of cisplatin with substituents on the amine, varying in polarity and steric bulk is presented. Their biological activities, as studied using in vitro cytotoxicity studies in cisplatin sensitive and the corresponding cisplatin resistant cell lines, cellular uptake experiments and in a reaction with model DNA base GMP, are presented. All compounds exhibit promising cytotoxicity in the cisplatin sensitive cell lines albeit lower than cisplatin. On the other hand, the complexes partly overcome cisplatin resistance in the resistant cell lines. A direct correlation between cytotoxicity and cellular uptake was found. Conversely, the rate of reaction of all compounds with the model base GMP was found to be very similar and faster than cisplatin. It was therefore concluded that the difference in activity observed for these complexes is due to differential cellular uptake rather than the reactivity towards the cellular target of platinum complexes, nuclear DNA.     

Sequence specificity, conformation, and recognition by HMG1 protein of major DNA interstrand cross-links of antitumor dinuclear platinum complexes

Interactions of high mobility group (HMG) domain proteins with DNA modified by cisplatin plays a role in mechanisms underlying its antitumor activity. A structural motif recognized by HMG domain proteins on cisplatin-modified DNA is a stable, directional bend of the helix axis. In the present work, bending induced in DNA by major adducts of a novel class of antitumor compounds, represented by the formula [?trans-PtCl(NH(3))(2)?H(2)N(CH(2))(2-6)NH(2)]Cl(2), was investigated. The oligodeoxyribonucleotide duplexes containing various site-specific interstrand cross-links of these bifunctional dinuclear platinum drugs were purified and characterized by Maxam-Gilbert footprinting, chemical probing, and phasing assay. It was demonstrated that the cross-links of the dinuclear compounds bent the helix much less than those of cisplatin. Gel retardation assay revealed very weak recognition of DNA adducts of dinuclear complexes by HMG1 protein. Hence, the mediation of antitumor properties of dinuclear platinum complexes by HMG domain proteins is unlikely so that polynuclear platinum compounds may represent a novel class of platinum anticancer drugs acting by a different mechanism than cisplatin and its analogues. A further understanding of how polynuclear platinum compounds modify DNA and how these modifications are processed in cells should provide a rational basis for the design of new platinum drugs rather than searching for cisplatin analogues.     

Glutathione induces cellular resistance against cationic dinuclear platinum anticancer drugs

The sulfur-containing tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is one of the most abundant molecules in cells. Elevated levels of GSH render some types of cancer cells resistant against well-known platinum anti-cancer drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin. Platinum complexes are often very reactive towards the cysteine residue of GSH, which detoxifies these compounds by a rapid binding mechanism. Clearly, this resistance mechanism poses a severe obstacle to any new platinum drugs designed to overcome cisplatin resistance. In the present study the cytotoxicity of dinuclear platinum compounds of the 1,1/t,t type, as developed by Farrell, is determined in human ovarium A2780 cells and in the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cisR, which possesses elevated levels of GSH. Further, the effect of depletion of GSH levels by L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (L-BSO) in A2780cisR was investigated. The experiments show that detoxification by GSH is an effective resistance mechanism against dinuclear platinum compounds. However, the dinuclear complexes are less sensitive towards detoxification compared to cisplatin. This is probably because of the rapid binding of dinuclear cationic complexes to DNA. Compared to cisplatin, the rapid binding to DNA reduces the time during which the drug molecules are exposed to GSH in the cytosol. The reaction of a representative dinuclear compound with glutathione (pH 7, 37 degrees C) was studied in detail by 195Pt NMR. The dinuclear complex BBR3005 ([trans-PtCl(2)(NH(3))(2)(mu-H(2)N(CH(2))(6)NH(2))](2+), abbreviated as 1,1/t,t n=6), follows different pathways in the reaction with GSH, depending on the molar ratio of the reactants. When reacted in stoichiometric amounts (1:1), first a chloride on each platinum is replaced by a sulfur, forming a PtN(3)S product at -2977 ppm. After 2-3 h, this intermediate reacts further to form a sulfur-bridged N(3)Pt-S-PtN(3) species as the main product at -2811 ppm. When BBR3005 is reacted with GSH in a ratio of 1:4, the sulfur-bridged species is not observed. Instead, the final product is trans-Pt(GS)(2)(NH(3))(2) (at -3215 ppm); the same product appears if GSH is reacted with trans-PtCl(2)(NH(3))(2). Apparently, GSH first replaces the chlorides and subsequently degrades the dinuclear compound by replacement of the diaminealkyl linker.     

Studies of interaction of trichloro{eta2-cis-N,N-dimethyl-1-[6-(N',N'-dimethyl-ammoniummethyl)-cyclohex-3-ene-1-yl]-methylammonium}platinum(II) chloride with DNA: Effects on secondary and tertiary structures of DNA. Cytotoxic assays on human ovarian cancer cell lines, resistant and non-resistant to cisplatin

The studies of interaction with DNA and the cytotoxic activity of a new organometallic platinum(II) compound are presented. The ability of this new platinum complex to modify secondary DNA structure was explored by circular dichroism (CD). Electrophoretic mobility showed changes in tertiary DNA structure, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed morphological changes of plasmid DNA (pBR322). This compound breaks the traditional structure-activity rules for cis-platinum compounds, but it could be of interest because of its different kinetics. An organometallic bond normally shows a trans-effect higher than that of an amine ligand, and that fact, a priori, could contribute to a higher DNA binding rate. Several ovarian cancer cell lines, resistant and non-resistant to cisplatin, were exposed to increasing concentrations of cisplatin and complex 5 for 24 h, after which time the cell number/viability was determined by the colorimetric MTT assay. A lower cytotoxicity but also a lower resistant factor was observed for organometallic compound 5 than for cisplatin, against A2780 and A2780cisR cell lines. This result is consistent with the DNA interaction degree observed by the aforementioned techniques.     

Breast cancer inhibiting diastereomeric diacetato[1,2-bis(4-fluorophenyl)ethylenediamine]platinum(II) derivatives: synthesis and studies on the relationship between reactivity and antitumor activity

Antitumor active [1,2-bis(4-fluorophenyl)ethylenediamine]platinum(II) diastereoisomers containing acetic acid derivatives as ‘leaving groups’ (acetate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(Ac)₂; monochloroacetate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(ClAc)₂; dichloroacetate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(Cl₂Ac)₂; trichloroacetate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(Cl₃Ac)₂; glycolate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(OHAc)₂; phenylacetate: meso/rac-4F-Pt(PhAc)₂) were synthesized and characterized by IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In all complexes except meso/rac-4F-Pt(PhAc)₂, which exist as [meso/rac-4F-PtPhAc]⁺PhAc⁻, both carboxylic acid residues are coordinated to platinum. Kinetic studies on the reaction behavior of the title compounds with nucleophiles were performed by using iodide as nucleophile. The studies show that the new complexes react with nucleophiles predominantly via the ‘solvent path’ (i.e. via the reactive intermediates = Pt(X)(OH₂)⁺ and =Pt(OH₂)₂²⁺. Therefore the rates of reactions in which the reactive species are formed affect the antitumor activity of the complexes as well as their inactivation by bionucleophiles during the transport to the tumor. The extent of accumulation in the tumor cell, too, influences the antitumor activity of a complex. The rate constants are discussed in view of the activities of the respective complexes on the human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. From the title compounds the Cl₂Ac and Cl₃Ac derivatives do not come close to the standard cisplatin, neither in chemical reactivity nor in biological activity. Meso/rac-4F-Pt(Ac)₂ and meso/rac-4F-Pt(ClAc)₂, respectively, show similar hydrolysis rates but lower antitumor activities than cisplatin, presumably due to a reduced drug uptake by the tumor cell. Meso/rac-4F-Pt(PhAc)₂ compare well with their standard carboplatin in respect to both properties. Other than the remaining, poorly water soluble title compounds, meso/rac-4F-Pt(OHAc)₂ equal their standard cisplatin in terms of water solubility and antitumor activity rac-4F-Pt(OHAc)₂ > meso-4F--Pt(OHAc)₂). However, they are markedly faster hydrolyzed than cisplatin. By use of rac-4F-Pt(Ac)₂ as an example it was confirmed that, in contrast to the parent compound rac-4F-PtCl₂, the new complex type is also active under in vivo conditions owing to its markedly lower reactivity (mainly due to the lack of a direct substitution by strong nucleophiles), which entails a reduced inactivation of the drug on its way to the tumor. The in vitro testing on tumor cell lines combined with the evaluation of the water solubility and with kinetic studies on the reaction with nucleophiles is a useful method for the preselection of potent platinum complexes deserving further thorough in vitro and in vivo investigations.     

Cellular accumulation and DNA interaction studies of cytotoxic <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-platinum anticancer compounds

Forty years after the discovery of the anticancer effects of cisplatin, scientists are still pursuing the development of platinum complexes with improved properties regarding side effects and resistance, which are two main problems in cisplatin treatment. Among these compounds, trans-configured platinum complexes with oxime ligands emerged as a new class with features distinct from those of established anticancer agents, including different DNA binding behavior, increased cellular accumulation, and a different pattern of protein interaction. We report herein on the reactivity with biomolecules of three novel pairs of cis- and trans-configured acetone oxime platinum(II) complexes and one pair of 3-pentanone oxime platinum(II) complexes. Cellular accumulation experiments and in vitro DNA platination studies were performed and platinum contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The trans-configured complexes were accumulated in SW480 cells in up to 100 times higher amounts than cisplatin and up to 50 times higher amounts than their cis-configured counterparts; r _b values (number of platinum atoms per nucleotide) were more than tenfold increased in cells treated with trans complexes compared with cells treated with cisplatin. The interaction of the complexes with DNA was studied in cell-free experiments with plasmid DNA (pUC19), in capillary zone electrophoresis with the DNA model 2-deoxyguanosine 5′-monophosphate, and in in vitro experiments showing the degree of DNA damage in the comet assay. Whereas incubation with cis compounds did not induce degradation of DNA, the trans complexes led to pronounced strand cleavage.     

Comparison of the reactivity of oxaliplatin, pt(diaminocyclohexane)Cl2 and pt(diaminocyclohexane1)(OH2)2(2+) with guanosine and L-methionine

The initial rates of reactivity of oxaliplatin, its metabolites Pt(dach)Cl2 and Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+) with guanosine and L-met in water, NaCl and phosphate were compared. Versus guanosine, the most reactive molecule was Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+), about 40 fold that of oxaliplatin, the least reactive was Pt(dach)Cl2, Versus L-met, Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+), was also the most reactive species but only about 2 fold more reactive than Pt(dach)Cl2 and oxaliplatin. Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+) was approximately 3 fold less reactive versus methionine than guanosine whereas oxaliplatin and Pt(dach)Cl2 were about seven fold more reactive versus methionine than guanosine. Thus, the three platinum compounds oxaliplatin, Pt(dach)Cl2 and Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+) react with L-met but only the Pt(dach)(OH2)2(2+) has a high reactivity with guanosine. Oxaliplatin, which is stable in water, has to be transformed in the presence of chloride in chloro-derivatives which are aquated to become active particularly versus guanosine. These data demonstrate that oxaliplatin has similarities with cisplatin in terms of chloride versus water coordination and in terms of dependence on chloride concentration for transformations.     

PRKCD/PKCδ contributes to nephrotoxicity during cisplatin chemotherapy by suppressing autophagy

Nephrotoxicity is a major side effect during chemotherapy with cisplatin and related platinum compounds. Previous work unveiled a role of PRKCD/PKCδ (protein kinase C delta) in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity; however, the underlying mechanism was largely unknown. Our recent work showed that PRKCD may suppress macroautophagy/autophagy, a cytoprotective mechanism, to promote kidney tubule cell death during cisplatin treatment. Interestingly, PRKCD may do so by phosphorylating AKT, which further phosphorylates MTOR to repress ULK1.     

Extraction of Equine Infectious Anemia Immunodiffusion Antigen with the Aid of the Chaotropic Agent, Thiocyanate

Immunodiffusion antigen from spleens of horses infected with equine infectious anemia virus was prepared by methods employing freeze-thaw cycles and thiocyanate treatment. Thiocyanate (0.5 M) permitted the recovery of the greatest amount of antigen. Furthermore, it was most effective for recovery of immunodiffusion antigen from spleens which yielded unsatisfactory concentrations of antigen by the conventional freeze-thaw or water-extraction methods. The reactivity of the antigen did not appear to be affected by this chemical treatment.     

Resveratrol reduces oxidative stress induced by platinum compounds in blood platelets

The effects of resveratrol (trans-3,4',5-trihydroxystilbene) on the oxidative stress in blood platelets induced by platinum compounds [cisplatin and selenium-cisplatin conjugate] were studied in vitro. The production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the level of conjugate diene, the generation of superoxide anion radicals (O2-*) and other reactive oxygen species (O2-*, H2O2, singlet oxygen and organic radicals) were measured by chemiluminescence in blood platelets treated with platinum compounds. Cisplatin at the concentration of 10 microg/ml, as well as selenium-cisplatin conjugate (10 microg/ml) induced oxidative stress in blood platelets: an increase in TBARS, conjugate diene, chemiluminescence and generation of O2-*. In the presence of resveratrol (a natural compound with antioxidant activity) at the concentrations of 1-25 microg/ml, the chemiluminescence, the levels of O2-*, conjugate diene and TBARS were reduced (p < 0.05). We showed that resveratrol at different concentrations (1-25 microg/ml) had a protective effect against oxidative stress in platelets caused by platinum compounds (10 microg/ml) and it diminished platelet lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation induced by platinum compounds.     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of novel traditional Chinese medicine-platinum anticancer agents in rats

The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution profiles of a novel series of traditional Chinese medicine-platinum (TCM-Pt) compounds [Pt(C(8)H(8)O(5))(NH(2)R)(2)]: 1 (where R=H), 3 (R=CH(3)) and 5 (R=C(6)H(10)), were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats following a single bolus intravenous (i.v.) injection. Platinum concentrations in total plasma, plasma ultrafiltrate, urine and tissues were measured by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that plasma concentrations of total and free platinum for the novel TCM-Pt compounds as well as cisplatin and carboplatin declined in a biexponential manner with a short distribution half-life (t(1/2alpha): 0.12-0.34h). Compared with cisplatin, the novel TCM-Pt compounds had a longer elimination half-life (t(1/2beta)), larger dose normalized area under the curve (AUC/D), larger volume of distribution at steady-state (V(ss)), slower clearance (CL) of free platinum and higher percentage of cumulative urinary excretion (CUE), which can be attributed to their lower chemical reactivities. In tissues, the highest Pt concentrations were found in the kidney, followed by the liver and the lowest in the heart; no Pt was detected in the brain. Twenty-four hours after drug administration, platinum concentrations in tissues were significantly lower for the novel TCM-Pt compounds. These findings suggest that the novel compounds might afford higher clinical efficacy and reduced systemic side effects, when compared with cisplatin.     

Platinum cytotoxic drugs in the municipal wastewater and drinking water,a validation method and health risk assessment

Three cancerostatic platinum compounds (CPCs) including cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin are complexes of Pt and classified as probable carcinogenic compounds to humans. This study aimed to perform health risk assessment of platinum cytotoxic drugs for drinking water by developing a sensitive analytical method in the water resource of Qom Province in the central part of Iran. Concentrations of the platinum drugs were determined, including 052 ± 0.2 µg/L for cisplatin, 0.94 ± 0.36 µg/L for carboplatin and 0.27 ± 0.16 µg/L for oxaliplatin in influent samples, and 0.24 ± 0.07 µg/L for cisplatin, 0.28 ± 0.05 µg/L for carboplatin and 0.11 ± 0.01 µg/L for oxaliplatin in effluent samples. The results indicated that in all the well water samples related to the groundwater, the concentration of the platinum-based compounds was lower than the calculated limits of quantification (LOQ); the concentration of cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin across the samples in the station of drinking water distribution was also below the limits of detection (LOD). The resulting margin of exposure (MOE) is lower than one (MOE < 1) for the three groups including children, pregnant women and lactation women related to cisplatin and carboplatin was determined through exposure to raw and untreated drinking water. Further research is recommended to be conducted in this area, particularly environmental fate of metabolites and transformation products.     

The interaction of cisplatin and analogues with DNA in reconstituted chromatin

The influence of chromatin structure on cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) DNA damage was investigated in a reconstituted nucleosome system. Nucleosomes were reconstituted on the somatic 5S rRNA gene from Xenopus borealis using the octamer transfer method of reconstitution. Footprinting techniques, utilising bleomycin and DNase I as the damaging agents, were employed to establish the precise location of positioned nucleosomes with respect to the DNA sequence. Reconstituted nucleosomal DNA was treated with cisplatin and drug-induced DNA adduct formation was quantitatively analysed with a polymerase stop assay using Taq DNA polymerase. A densitometric comparison of the relative damage band intensities between purified and reconstituted DNA revealed regions of relative protection corresponding to the sites of the positioned nucleosome cores. This indicated that the preferred site of cisplatin DNA binding was in the linker region of the nucleosome. Statistical analysis showed significant protection from cisplatin DNA damage in the core region of the nucleosome. Three cisplatin analogues were also investigated in this reconstituted nucleosome system. These analogues, cis-diammine(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II) (carboplatin), cis-dichlorobis(cyclohexylamine)platinum(II) (cis-[PtCl(2)(C(6)H(11)NH(2))(2)]) and dichloro(N-[3-[(2-aminoethyl)-amino]propyl]acridine-4-carboxamide)platinum(II) (ac-PtenCl(2)(n3)), were also found to target the linker region of the nucleosome. The latter DNA-targeted acridine-platinum complex gave rise to the most predominant footprints of all the Pt compounds tested.     

Comparison of three different methods for measurement of tissue platinum level

We attempted to make a comparison of three methods for tissue platinum; atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The determination lim its were 0.05 ng/mL on ICP-MS, 50 ng/mL on ICP-AES, and 200 ngJmL on AAS, and the recovery rates were 97.7 ± 6.9% on ICP-MS, 69.0 ± 3.0% on ICP-AES, and 102.4 ± 4.0% on AAS, respectively. Plat inum was detected by ICP-AES and ICP-MS in human vertebrae, but the level was higher by ICP-AES than by ICP-MS. In the mouse kid ney treated with cisplatin, platinum was detected by ICP-MS, but not by ICP-AES. As cadmium gives the absorption peak close to plat inum, cadmium was measured together with platinum by ICP-AES in the vertebrae. From these, ICP-MS is the most sensitive for measure ment at tissue platinum. The sensitivity of ICP-AES looks worse for measuring the tissue platinum, and it is necessary to take care of the contaminant of metals, especially cadmium. AAS is not suitable for measurement of tissue platinum as in the vertebrae and kidneys, because platinum was not detectable by AAS.     

Gradient, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins from cytotoxic mycoplasma membranes.

Membranes of $\text{Mycoplasma}\text{pneumoniae}$ were prepared following several different cell lysis procedures (freeze-thaw, french press, digitonin, sonication, osmotic shock, pH shock). All possessed some degree of toxicity for ciliated epithelial cells, but the french press and freeze-thaw processes were optimal in terms of lysis efficiency, membrane yield, and cytotoxicity. Membrane proteins from virulent and attenuated mycoplasmas were electrophoresed with a new, high resolution electrophoresis technique (gradient polyacrylamide gels), and strain differences were detectable among the 50+ discernible bands.     

DNA binding by antitumor trans-[PtCl2(NH3)(thiazole)]. Protein recognition and nucleotide excision repair of monofunctional adducts

Antitumor effects of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) and the clinical inactivity of its trans isomer (transplatin) have been considered a paradigm for the classical structure-activity relationships of platinum drugs. However, several new analogues of transplatin which exhibit a different spectrum of cytostatic activity including activity in tumor cells resistant to cisplatin have been recently identified. Analogues containing the planar amine ligand of the general structure trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(L)], where L = planar amine, represent an example of such compounds. DNA is believed to be the major pharmacological target of platinum compounds. To contribute to the understanding of mechanisms underlying the activation of trans geometry in transplatin analogues containing planar amine ligands, various biochemical and biophysical methods were employed in previous studies to analyze the global modifications of natural DNA by trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(L)]. These initial studies have revealed some unique features of the DNA binding mode of this class of platinum drugs. As the monofunctional lesions represent a significant fraction of stable adducts formed in DNA by bifunctional antitumor trans-platinum compounds with planar ligands, we analyzed in the present work short DNA duplexes containing the single, site-specific monofunctional adduct of a representative of this class of platinum drugs, antitumor trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)]. It has been shown that, in contrast to the adducts of monodentate chlorodiethylenetriamineplatinum(II) chloride or [PtCl(NH(3))(3)]Cl, the monofunctional adduct of trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)] inhibits DNA synthesis and creates a local conformational distortion similar to that produced in DNA by the major 1,2-GG intrastrand CL of cisplatin, which is considered the lesion most responsible for its anticancer activity. In addition, the monofunctional adducts of trans-[PtCl(2)(NH(3))(thiazole)] are recognized by HMGB1 domain proteins and removed by the nucleotide excision repair system similarly as the 1,2-GG intrastrand CL of cisplatin. The results of the present work further support the view that the simple chemical modification of the structure of an inactive platinum compound alters its DNA binding mode into that of an active drug and that processing of the monofunctional DNA adducts of the trans-platinum analogues in tumor cells may be similar to that of the major bifunctional adducts of "classical" cisplatin.     

Evaluation and Optimization of DNA Extraction and Purification Procedures for Soil and Sediment Samples

We compared and statistically evaluated the effectiveness of nine DNA extraction procedures by using frozen and dried samples of two silt loam soils and a silt loam wetland sediment with different organic matter contents. The effects of different chemical extractants (sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], chloroform, phenol, Chelex 100, and guanadinium isothiocyanate), different physical disruption methods (bead mill homogenization and freeze-thaw lysis), and lysozyme digestion were evaluated based on the yield and molecular size of the recovered DNA. Pairwise comparisons of the nine extraction procedures revealed that bead mill homogenization with SDS combined with either chloroform or phenol optimized both the amount of DNA extracted and the molecular size of the DNA (maximum size, 16 to 20 kb). Neither lysozyme digestion before SDS treatment nor guanidine isothiocyanate treatment nor addition of Chelex 100 resin improved the DNA yields. Bead mill homogenization in a lysis mixture containing chloroform, SDS, NaCl, and phosphate-Tris buffer (pH 8) was found to be the best physical lysis technique when DNA yield and cell lysis efficiency were used as criteria. The bead mill homogenization conditions were also optimized for speed and duration with two different homogenizers. Recovery of high-molecular-weight DNA was greatest when we used lower speeds and shorter times (30 to 120 s). We evaluated four different DNA purification methods (silica-based DNA binding, agarose gel electrophoresis, ammonium acetate precipitation, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration) for DNA recovery and removal of PCR inhibitors from crude extracts. Sephadex G-200 spin column purification was found to be the best method for removing PCR-inhibiting substances while minimizing DNA loss during purification. Our results indicate that for these types of samples, optimum DNA recovery requires brief, low-speed bead mill homogenization in the presence of a phosphate-buffered SDS-chloroform mixture, followed by Sephadex G-200 column purification.     

Interaction of cisplatin and DNA-targeted 9-aminoacridine platinum complexes with DNA

Interaction of acridine- and 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide platinum complexes with DNA was investigated with respect to their DNA sequence specificity and kinetics of binding. The DNA sequence specificity of the compounds was quantitatively analyzed using a polymerase stop assay with the plasmid pUC19. The 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide platinum complexes exhibited a different sequence specificity to that of cisplatin, shifted away from runs of consecutive guanines (the main binding site for cisplatin). This alteration was dependent on chain length. Shorter chain length compounds (n = 2, 3) showed a greater difference in sequence specificity, while longer chain length compounds (n = 4, 5) more closely resembled cisplatin. An acridinecarboxamide platinum complex showed a similar sequence specificity to cisplatin, revealing that the major change of sequence specificity was due to the presence of the 9-amino substituent. A linear amplification system was used to investigate the time course of the reaction. The presence of an intercalating group (acridinecarboxamide or 9-aminoacridinecarboxamide) greatly increased the rate of reaction with DNA; this is proposed to be due to a different reaction mechanism with DNA (direct displacement by the N-7 of guanine).