Effects of platinum-based anticancer drugs on the trace element profile of liver and kidney tissue from mice

John T Sloop1, Jake A Carter1, Ulrich Bierbach2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Salem Hall, Box 7486, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA.

Abstract

Insights

Platinum-based anticancer drugs alter essential element levels in mouse kidneys and liver, impacting toxicity and efficacy. Understanding these elemental changes is key to developing safer cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Platinum-based anticancer drugs are vital chemotherapeutics but cause significant elemental shifts in organs.
  • Nephrotoxicity and other side effects limit the clinical utility of these drugs.
  • Investigating drug-induced elemental changes is crucial for understanding toxicity and improving drug safety.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of investigational platinum-based anticancer drugs on the elemental composition of mouse kidneys and liver.
  • To identify correlations between elemental concentrations and clinical effects, including maximum tolerated doses (MTDs).
  • To explore the utility of ICP-MS and advanced statistical methods in cancer drug research.

Main Methods:

  • Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for elemental analysis.
  • Statistical tools including two-sample Student's t-test, Pearson's correlation, principal component analysis, and random forest importance were employed.
  • Elemental concentrations in kidneys and liver of mice treated with platinum-based drugs were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • A Pt-acridine drug (Drug C) showed strong negative correlations between platinum (Pt) and copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in kidneys.
  • Significant positive correlations were found between Cu and Zn in kidneys and liver for Drug C.
  • Cisplatin treatment led to increased concentrations of calcium (Ca), Cu, rubidium (Rb), and Zn in the liver.

Conclusions:

  • Platinum-based agents significantly disrupt ion homeostasis in excretory organs, contributing to toxicity and reduced efficacy.
  • Detailed analysis of elemental patterns in organs can reveal drug mechanisms and inform the development of safer anticancer agents.
  • ICP-MS and modern statistical analysis offer powerful tools for extracting critical information in cancer drug development.

Related Concept Videos

Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy01:25

Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy

Research has highlighted several critical factors that influence the effectiveness of psychotherapy, such as the therapeutic alliance, the therapist, and the client.
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...
341
Elements and Compounds01:27

Elements and Compounds

Pure substances consist of only one type of matter. A pure substance can be an element or a compound. An element consists of only one type of atom, while a compound consists of two or more types of atoms held together by a chemical bond.
Elements
Elements are classified as atomic or molecular based on the nature of their basic units. They are unique forms of matter with specific chemical and physical properties that cannot break down into smaller substances by ordinary chemical reactions. There...
103.5K
The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements00:57

The Periodic Table and Organismal Elements

Overview
201.0K
Combined Effects of Drugs: Antagonism01:30

Combined Effects of Drugs: Antagonism

The combined effects of drugs can result in various interactions, of which an important type is antagonism. Antagonism is a mechanism where one drug inhibits or counteracts the effects of another drug. Antagonism can occur through various means, including receptor binding, allosteric modulation, functional interaction, chemical reactions, and pharmacokinetic processes.
The most common type is receptor antagonism, where one drug acts as an antagonist to block the effects of another drug by...
11.6K
Antipsychotic Drugs: Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects01:21

Antipsychotic Drugs: Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects

Antipsychotic drugs primarily block dopamine and serotonin receptors and cholinergic, adrenergic, and histaminergic receptors, thereby reducing hallucinations and delusions in conditions like schizophrenia. However, they can trigger unwanted extrapyramidal effects such as dystonias, Parkinson-like symptoms, and tardive dyskinesia.
Despite these side effects, antipsychotics are used therapeutically for various purposes, including managing schizophrenia, preventing nausea and vomiting, curbing...
775
Periodic Classification of the Elements04:00

Periodic Classification of the Elements

The periodic table arranges atoms based on increasing atomic number so that elements with the same chemical properties recur periodically. When their electron configurations are added to the table, a periodic recurrence of similar electron configurations in the outer shells of these elements is observed. Because they are in the outer shells of an atom, valence electrons play the most important role in chemical reactions. The outer electrons have the highest energy of the electrons in an atom...
58.8K