Toxic variability and radiation sensitization by Pt(II) analogs in Salmonella typhimurium cells

A rationale is presented for the development of toxic, i.e., cytocidal, antitumor drugs as clinical hypoxic cell radiation sensitizers. Pt(II) complex-induced hypoxic cell radiation sensitization may occur from Pt(II) complex in free solution and Pt(II) bound to DNA. Although both the free solution and the bound compartments may operate, the free solution compartment is more likely amenable to experimental and clinical control in the case of systemically active Pt drugs. Assuming equivalent cell uptake of different Pt(II) complexes, the free solution compartment of Pt(II) sensitization can be increased by utilizing less toxic analogs of the antitumor drug cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II). One such less toxic Pt(II) sensitizer currently in clinical use is found to be cis-(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)diammineplatinum(II). A new finding of both clinical and mechanistic usefulness is described: irradiation of hypoxic solutions of four cis-Pt(II) complexes, but not two trans-Pt(II) complexes, creates products that cause toxicity in excess of the unirradiated solutions.