A Platinum(II)-based Photosensitive Tripod as an Effective Photodynamic Anticancer Agent through DNA Damage

Herein, two photosensitive platinum(II)-based tripods were designed and synthesized. Notably, complex1 ({[Pt(dien)](3)L}(NO3)(6), L=tri(4-pyridylphenyl)amine and dien=diethylenetriamine), which mainly accumulated in the cell nucleus, exhibited very low cytotoxicity in the absence of light irradiation, but displayed a remarkable increase in cytotoxicity upon visible light irradiation. Mechanistic investigations revealed that the tripod interacted with DNA in the nucleus, induced ROS generation upon light irradiation, and consequently elicited rapid DNA damage response; thereby triggering cancer cell apoptosis.