A combination of biophysical, biochemical, and computational techniques was used to delineate mechanistic differences between the platinum-acridine hybrid agent [PtCl(en)(L)](NO(3))(2) (complex 1, en = ethane-1,2-diamine, L = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea) and a considerably more potent second-generation analogue containing L' = N-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-N-methylpropionamidine (complex 2). Calculations at the density functional theory level provide a rationale for the binding preference of both complexes for guanine-N7 and the relatively high level of adenine adducts observed for compound 1. A significant rate enhancement is observed for binding of the amidine-based complex 2 with DNA compared with the thiourea-based prototype 1. Studies conducted with chemical probes and on the bending and unwinding of model duplex DNA suggest that adducts of complex 2 perturb B-form DNA more severely than complex 1, however, without denaturing the double strand and significantly less than cisplatin. Circular and linear dichroism spectroscopies and viscosity measurements suggest that subtle differences exist between the intercalation modes and adduct geometries of the two complexes. The adducts formed by complex 2 most efficiently inhibit transcription of the damaged DNA by RNA polymerase II. Not only do complexes 1 and 2 cause less distortion to DNA than cisplatin, they also do not compromise the thermodynamic stability of the modified duplex. This leads to a decreased or negligible affinity of HMG domain proteins for the adducts formed by either Pt-acridine complex. In a DNA repair synthesis assay the lesions formed by complex 2 were repaired less efficiently than those formed by complex 1. These significant differences in DNA adduct formation, structure, and recognition between the two acridine complexes and cisplatin help to elucidate why compound 2 is highly active in cisplatin-resistant, repair proficient cancer cell lines.

• MeSH
• DNA Adducts chemistry   MeSH
• Acridines chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Amidines chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• DNA, B-Form chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Cisplatin analogs & derivatives   chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• DNA chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Transcription, Genetic drug effects   MeSH
• HeLa Cells MeSH
• Intercalating Agents chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Kinetics MeSH
• Nucleic Acid Conformation drug effects   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• DNA Repair drug effects   MeSH
• Organoplatinum Compounds chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Protein Isoforms metabolism   MeSH
• HMGB1 Protein metabolism   MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Drug Design MeSH
• Thiourea chemistry   metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Structure-Activity Relationship MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA Adducts MeSH
• Acridines MeSH
• Amidines MeSH
• DNA, B-Form MeSH
• Cisplatin MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• Intercalating Agents MeSH
• Organoplatinum Compounds MeSH
• Protein Isoforms MeSH
• HMGB1 Protein MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents MeSH
• Thiourea MeSH

Replacement of one ammine in clinically ineffective trans-[PtCl2(NH3)2] (transplatin) by a planar N-heterocycle, thiazole, results in significantly enhanced cytotoxicity. Unlike 'classical' cisplatin {cis-[PtCl2(NH3)2]} or transplatin, modification of DNA by this prototypical cytotoxic transplatinum complex trans-[PtCl2(NH3)(thiazole)] (trans-PtTz) leads to monofunctional and bifunctional intra or interstrand adducts in roughly equal proportions. DNA fragments containing site-specific bifunctional DNA adducts of trans-PtTz were prepared. The structural distortions induced in DNA by these adducts and their consequences for high-mobility group protein recognition, DNA polymerization and nucleotide excision repair were assessed in cell-free media by biochemical methods. Whereas monofunctional adducts of trans-PtTz behave similar to the major intrastrand adduct of cisplatin [J. Kasparkova, O. Novakova, N. Farrell and V. Brabec (2003) Biochemistry, 42, 792-800], bifunctional cross-links behave distinctly differently. The results suggest that the multiple DNA lesions available to trans-planaramine complexes may all contribute substantially to their cytotoxicity so that the overall drug cytotoxicity could be the sum of the contributions of each of these adducts. However, acquisition of drug resistance could be a relatively rare event, since it would have to entail resistance to or tolerance of multiple, structurally dissimilar DNA lesions.

• MeSH
• DNA Adducts chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Cisplatin chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• DNA biosynthesis   MeSH
• Nucleic Acid Conformation MeSH
• DNA Repair MeSH
• Organoplatinum Compounds chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• High Mobility Group Proteins metabolism   MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Thiazoles chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA Adducts MeSH
• Cisplatin MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• Organoplatinum Compounds MeSH
• High Mobility Group Proteins MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents MeSH
• Thiazoles MeSH
• trans-(PtCl2(NH3)(thiazole)) MeSH Browser
• transplatin MeSH Browser

Bifunctional polynuclear platinum compounds represent a novel class of metal-based antitumor drugs which are currently undergoing preclinical development. A typical agent is [(trans-PtCl(NH(3))(2))(2)H(2)N(CH(2))(4)NH(2)]Cl(2) (1,1/t,t), which coordinates to bases in DNA and forms various types of covalent crosslinks. It also forms a 1,2-d(GpG) intrastrand adduct, the equivalent of the major DNA lesion of 'classical' cisplatin. In the present study differential scanning calorimetry and spectroscopic techniques were employed to characterize the influence of this crosslink on the thermal stability and energetics of 20 bp DNA duplexes site-specifically modified by 1,1/t,t. Thermal denaturation data revealed that the crosslink of 1,1/t,t reduced thermal and thermodynamical stability of the duplex noticeably more than that of 'classical' cisplatin. The energetic consequences of the intrastrand crosslink at the d(GG) site are discussed in relation to the structural distortions induced by this adduct in DNA and to its recognition and binding by HMG domain proteins. It has been suggested that the results of the present work are consistent with different DNA binding modes of cisplatin and polynuclear bifunctional DNA-binding drugs, which might be relevant to their distinct biological effectiveness.

• MeSH
• DNA Adducts chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Circular Dichroism MeSH
• Cisplatin metabolism   MeSH
• Nucleic Acid Denaturation MeSH
• Calorimetry, Differential Scanning MeSH
• DNA-Binding Proteins chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Entropy MeSH
• Guanine metabolism   MeSH
• Mutagenesis, Site-Directed * MeSH
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Platinum chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• High Mobility Group Proteins chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Protein Structure, Tertiary MeSH
• Thermodynamics MeSH
• Binding Sites MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA Adducts MeSH
• Cisplatin MeSH
• DNA-Binding Proteins MeSH
• Guanine MeSH
• Oligodeoxyribonucleotides MeSH
• Platinum MeSH
• High Mobility Group Proteins MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents MeSH
• Cross-Linking Reagents MeSH