Synthesis of gamma radiation-induced PEGylated cisplatin for cancer treatment

The use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) for the development of novel PEGylated biomolecules is playing an increasingly meaningful role in cancer treatment. Cisplatin (CDDP), is a useful chemotherapy drug. However, it is unclear whether PEGylated cisplatin (CDDPPEG) has potential as an alternative therapeutic agent. Here we prepared a PEGylated cisplatin by gamma radiation-induced synthesis, for the first time. PEGylated drugs were characterized using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as scanning electron microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX). The results show that the cisplatin can be successfully PEGylated by this method. Furthermore, we show a proposal for the mechanism of the PEGylation reaction. The novel product exhibits in vitro therapeutic potential comparable to cisplatin at concentrations lower than 23 μM (Pt), causing differences in cell cycle checkpoints, which suggest changes in the signaling pathways that control growth arrest and cause apoptosis of A549 cells.