Copper(II) interactions with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. III--3-Methoxyanthranilic acid as a potential *OH-inactivating ligand: a quantitative investigation of its copper handling role in vivo.

Pharmacological activities of copper(II) complexes are a direct function of the nature of their ligands associated with the metal ion in vivo. Some of these, defined as *OH-inactivating ligands (G. Berthon, Agents Actions 39 (1993) 210-217), may act as specific "lures" for hydroxyl radicals at inflammatory sites and behave as pseudo-catalase-like agents. This property has been advanced for anthranilic acid (H. Miche, V. Brumas, G. Berthon, J. Inorg. Biochem. 68 (1997) 27-38). With a view to improve the chemical features required to render such inactive substances effective anti-inflammatory drugs through their association with copper(II), an in vitro investigation into copper(II) interactions with the anionic form of an anthranilic acid derivative, namely 3-methoxyanthranilate (Man), has been performed under experimental conditions pertaining in vivo. Copper(II)-Man complex equilibria have been determined using glass electrode potentiometry, then checked by UV-vis and mass spectrometries. Given the prime role of histidine as a copper(II) ligand in blood plasma, copper(II)-histidine-Man ternary equilibria have also been studied. Subsequent computer simulations of the distribution of copper(II) in the extracellular fluid revealed that Man can specifically mobilize Cu(II) ions under inflammatory conditions without affecting their distribution under normal physiological conditions. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) tests conducted with respect to standardized copper-mediated Fenton-type reactions (P. Maestre, L. Lambs, J.P. Thouvenot, G. Berthon, Free Rad. Res. 20 (1994) 205-218) have shown that, like anthranilic acid, Man can effectively both increase the Fenton-like reactivity of copper and decrease the amount of TBARS detected in solution, i.e., act as a potential *OH-inactivating ligand.

Release of anthracyclines adsorbed on copper-treated hydroxylapatites.

Anthracyclines are antibiotics widely used for the treatment of leukemia and solid tumors. Perfusion is the standard clinical administration form. Unfortunately, this does not allow treatment of gastric cancers. A new galenic presentation, consisting of anthracyclines adsorbed onto hydroxylapatite granules, has been developed. It was found to be possible to modulate the release of the drug as a function of the pH by using copper(II) ions. At neutral pH, the drug remains on the mineral support, but at pH 3, the drug is released into solution. Further investigations demonstrate that copper-containing hydroxylapatite can retain a determined quantity of antibiotic by surface complexation. This result could contribute to new designs for drug carriers targeted for gastric cancers.

Mitomycin antitumor compounds. 2. Interaction of transition metal ions with mitomycin C. Solution structure and biological activity of a Pd(2+)-MMC complex.

Interactions of Cu(2+), Zn(2+), and Pd(2+) ions with the antitumor compound mitomycin C (MMC) have been investigated by UV-vis, circular dichroism, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. While Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) neither interacted with MMC nor catalyzed the formation of mitosenes, Pd(2+) induced strong MMC spectral modifications, suggesting the formation of a major complex, in which MMC acted as a bidentate ligand through N(1) and N(4) atoms. The coordination mode in this complex was solvent dependent: in MeOH, the NH(2) of the carbamate function was also involved as a third coordination site whereas, in H(2)O, Pd(2+) hydrolysis was more effective, leading to the replacement of the carbamoyl NH(2) function with either H(2)O or OH(-) ligands. Although coordination of the indoline nitrogen prevented methanol elimination and consequent aziridino ring opening, Pd(2+) complexation maintained MMC biological activity against cancer cells, as shown by IC(50) values. This suggests that alternative mechanisms in the biological activity of MMC should be explored.

Interactions of the anticancer antibiotic altromycin B with copper(II), palladium(II) and platinum(II) ions and in vitro activity of the formed complexes.

Interaction of the anticancer antibiotic altromycin B with Cu(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II) ions was studied using 1H-NMR, EPR, electronic absorption and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The results derived from NMR studies where that the Pt(II) and Pd(II) ions interact with the nitrogen atom of the dimethylamino group of the C(10)-disaccharide, while the C(2)-epoxide group does not participate and remains intact. Cu(II) ions interact in a different way with altromycin B as was concluded by EPR and circular dichroism spectra. Altromycin B coordinates to the Cu(II) ions via the oxygen atoms of the C(11) phenolic and the C(12) carbonyl group while the nitrogen atom does not participate in the complexation. The presence of these metal ions improves the stability of altromycin B in solution. These complexes were studied in vitro against K562 leukemia sensitive and doxorubicin-resistant cells and GLC4 lung tumor cells, sensitive and doxorubicin-resistant. The activity of the complexes compared to the free drug is improved against resistant cells and is affected moderately against sensitive cells. Finally, 20% of platinum added as altromycin B metal complex entered GLC4 cells.