[Effect of a copper-chelating peptide on the anticancer activity of anthraquinones]

Pseudopeptides incorporating a polyhydroxyanthraquinone ring related to the nuclei of the antitumor drug Mitoxantrone and a peptidic metal-chelating moiety Gly-His-Lys (GHK), have been synthesized. The goal was to conjugate the redox effects of a quinone ring with the iron chelating properties of the peptide in order to generate free radical species capable of damaging DNA. DHQ-GHK has a moderate affinity for DNA but causes precipitation of filaments. Electron microscopy shows a loop-making organization, DNA molecules having a lengthening superior to 50% as compared to control supercoiled DNA, the inside of these loops looks free of granular deposit. The peptidic moiety forms a complex with copper when the ratio Cu/P is lower than 0.2. This cupric complex catalyses the formation of free radicals and the cleavage of the DNA double strand. A new synthesis is described involving the addition of a space arm between the anthraquinonic nucleus and copper chelating compounds to obtain derivates disubstituted by different chelators.