Synthesis, in-vitro cytotoxic activity and DNA interactions of new dicarboxylatoplatinum(II) complexes with 2-hydroxymethylbenzimidazole as carrier ligands

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro cytotoxic activity of new platinum(II) complexes on the human HeLa (ER-), MCF-7 (ER+) and MDA-MB 231 (ER-) cell lines. Furthermore, we investigated plasmid DNA interactions and inhibition of BamHI and HindIII restriction enzyme activity of the complex 1-4,7. MethodsPlatinum(II) complexes were synthesised from precursor complexes of [PtL2Cl2] and [PtL2I2]. Their cytotoxic activity was tested by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Their plasmid DNA interactions and restriction enzyme activities were also investigated using the agarose gel electrophoresis method. Key findingsThe growth inhibitory effect results showed that the cytotoxicity of complex 2 was found to be the most active complex among the synthesised complexes. ConclusionsThe MTT results showed that complex 2 was found to be cytotoxic equal to cisplatin and higher than carboplatin against the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Furthermore, the estrogen or progesterone co-treatment slightly increased the cytotoxicity of complex 2, the cisplatin and carboplatin compared with the complex 2 tested alone in 50m concentration. According to plasmid DNA interaction and the restriction studies, complexes 1-4,7 modified the tertiary structure of pBR322 plasmid DNA, and complexes 2-4 prevented enzyme digestion at high concentrations.