Protein ruthenation and DNA alkylation

Author(s)
Alexey A. Nazarov, Samuel M. Meier, Olivier Zava, Yulia N. Nosova, Elena R. Milaeva, Christian G. Hartinger, Paul J. Dyson
Abstract

Chemotherapeutics for the treatment of tumorigenic conditions that feature novel modes of action are highly sought after to overcome the limitations of current chemotherapies. Herein, we report the conjugation of the alkylating agent chlorambucil to the RAPTA scaffold, a well-established pharmacophore. While chlorambucil is known to alkylate DNA, the RAPTA complexes are known to coordinate to amino acid side chains of proteins. Therefore, such a molecule combines DNA and protein targeting properties in a single molecule. Several chlorambucil-tethered RAPTA derivatives were prepared and tested for their cytotoxicity, stability in water and reactivity to protein and DNA substrates. The anticancer activity of the complexes is widely driven by the cytotoxicity of the chlorambucil moiety. However, especially in the cisplatin-resistant A2780R cells, the chlorambucil-functionalized RAPTA derivatives are in general more cytotoxic than chlorambucil and also a mixture of chlorambucil and the parent organoruthenium RAPTA compound. In a proof-of-principle experiment, the cross-linking of DNA and protein fragments by a chlorambucil-RAPTA derivative was observed. This journal is

Organisation(s)
Department of Analytical Chemistry
External organisation(s)
Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, University of Auckland, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Journal
Dalton Transactions
Volume
44
Pages
3614-3623
No. of pages
10
ISSN
1477-9226
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/c4dt02764g
Publication date
2015
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
104003 Inorganic chemistry, 301904 Cancer research
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Inorganic Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/d5816ad9-cfd3-42e5-9de9-3c72feee4139