Synthesis, in-vitro cytotoxic activity and DNA interactions of new dicarboxylatoplatinum(II) complexes with 2-hydroxymethylbenzimidazole as carrier ligands

The aim of this study was to investigate the in-vitro cytotoxic activity of new platinum(II) complexes on the human HeLa (ER-), MCF-7 (ER+) and MDA-MB 231 (ER-) cell lines. Furthermore, we investigated plasmid DNA interactions and inhibition of BamHI and HindIII restriction enzyme activity of the complex 1-4,7.Platinum(II) complexes were synthesised from precursor complexes of [PtL2 Cl2 ] and [PtL2 I2 ]. Their cytotoxic activity was tested by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Their plasmid DNA interactions and restriction enzyme activities were also investigated using the agarose gel electrophoresis method.The growth inhibitory effect results showed that the cytotoxicity of complex 2 was found to be the most active complex among the synthesised complexes.The MTT results showed that complex 2 was found to be cytotoxic equal to cisplatin and higher than carboplatin against the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Furthermore, the estrogen or progesterone co-treatment slightly increased the cytotoxicity of complex 2, the cisplatin and carboplatin compared with the complex 2 tested alone in 50 μm concentration. According to plasmid DNA interaction and the restriction studies, complexes 1-4,7 modified the tertiary structure of pBR322 plasmid DNA, and complexes 2-4 prevented enzyme digestion at high concentrations.