Investigation of in vitro anticancer and DNA strap interactions in live cells using carboplatin type Cu(II) and Zn(II) metalloinsertors

• Design and synthesis of few novel carboplatin type complexes.
• The synthesised complexes are efficient metallointercalators.
• The observed IC50 values are higher than carboplatin and cisplatin.
• The IC50 values indicate that the compounds could act as chemotherapeutic agents.

A series of carboplatin type Cu(II) and Zn(II) metalloinsertors (1–8) having β-diketone analogues and biologically significant cyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylic acid have been synthesized and characterized by spectral and analytical methods. The binding and cleavage propensity of these metalloinsertors on DNA and their cytotoxic effects in live cells have been explored. From the gel electrophoresis study, it is observed that the complexes 1–8 cleave pBR322 DNA via a hydrolytic mechanism induced by hydroxyl radical scavengers, DMSO and EtOH as the reactive oxygen species (ROS). In vivo antitumor efficacy has been studied on EAC tumor bearing mice which is assessed by mean survival time, effect on hematological parameters and solid tumor volume. The results strongly support that complex 1 shows potent antitumor effect against EAC and higher than the standard drug carboplatin. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the complexes, screened on a panel of human cancerous cell lines viz., human cervical cancer cells (HeLa), human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), human laryngeal epithelial carcinoma cells (HEp-2), human liver carcinoma cells (Hep G2) and non-cancerous NIH 3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts cell lines, reveals that complex 1 exhibits a better anticancer activity than other complexes and standards.

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