COPPER AND PLATINUM COMPLEXES IN CANCER THERAPY

T. Pivetta^1, F. Trudu^1, E. Valletta^1, F. Isaia^1, Alessandra Pani^2

tpivetta@unica.it

^1 Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, ^2 Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, University
of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato – CA (ITALY)


Copper is a metal ion essential for aerobic microorganisms, plants and animals, involved in the
electron transport [1]. In the human body its concentration is regulated by the homeostatic system.
Being an essential metal ion, copper has been selected for the synthesis of new antitumour drugs.
Although platinum does not manifest a known natural biological function, platinum-based
antineoplastic agents are widely used in chemotherapy, showing good activity against some tumors.
The most important platinum complex currently used in medicine is the
cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) [2]. The major limitations of the use of cisplatin in
clinical practice are the severe side effects and the inherited or acquired resistance. In fact,
after few treatments, almost any kind of tumour may become less responsive to the drug. With the
goal to develop more effective and less toxic drugs, several metal complexes of ions such as
ruthenium, gold, iron, arsenic, or copper are currently tested. Advanced strategies of drug
combinations are also under development to defeat platinum-resistance [3, 4].

In this presentation several complexes of copper and platinum are presented. Their cytotoxicity
against normal and tumoral cell lines are discussed. In particular, the different biological
activity against wild type, resistant and multi-drug resistant cells is discussed.



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[2] F. Arnesano, L. Banci, I. Bertini, I.C. Felli, M. Losacco, G. Natile, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133
(2011) 18361–18369.

[3] A.M. Florea, D. Büsselberg, Cancers (Basel) 3 (2011) 1351–1371.

[4] T. Pivetta, F. Isaia, F. Trudu, A. Pani, M. Manca, D. Perra, F. Amato, J. Havel, Talanta 115
(2013) 84–93.