Two mixed-NH3/amine platinum (II) anticancer complexes featuring a dichloroacetate moiety in the leaving group

Two mixed-NH3/amine platinum (II) complexes of 3-dichoroacetoxylcyclobutane-1, 1-dicarboxylate have been prepared in the present study and characterized by elemental analysis and IR, HPLC-MS and (1)H, (13)C-NMR. The complexes exist in equilibrium between two position isomeric forms and undergo hydrolysis reaction in aqueous solution, releasing the platinum pharmacophores and dichloroacetate which is a small-molecular cell apoptosis inducer. Both complexes were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic profile in A549, SGC-7901 and SK-OV-3 cancer cells as well as in BEAS-2B normal cells. They exhibit markedly cytotoxicity toward cancer cells by selectively inducing the apoptosis of cancer cells, whereas leaving normal cells less affected. They have also the ability to overcome the resistance of SK-OV-3 cancer cells to cisplatin. Our findings offer an alternative novel way to develop platinum drugs which can both overcome the drug resistance and selectively target tumor cells.