The compound (1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane)(transdiacetato)(dichloro)platinum(IV) (
DACH-acetato-Pt) is a novel
platinum-based
antitumor agent with clinical potential against
cisplatin-resistant disease that is under development in our laboratory. In view of the central role of the wild-type p53 tumor suppressor gene in
drug-induced apoptosis, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of
cisplatin and
DACH-acetato-Pt in a panel of
cisplatin-resistant ovarian
tumor models with differing p53 status.
Cisplatin was relatively more effective against mutant or null p53 cell lines (continuous
drug exposure IC50, 1.2-3.3 microM) than it was against those harboring wild-type p53 (IC50, 2.8-9.9 microM). In contrast,
DACH-acetato-Pt was considerably more active in wild-type p53 models (IC50, 0.17-1.5 microM) than it was in mutant or null models (IC50, 2.7-11.3 microM). Inactivation of wild-type p53 function in OVCA-429 cells by the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) E6 plasmid increased resistance to
DACH-acetato-Pt by 3-5-fold, which confirmed the
drug's dependence on wild-type p53 for its high cytotoxic potency. Differences between the two
platinum agents were also evident in cell cycle studies:
cisplatin arrested both wild-type and mutant p53 cells in G2-M, whereas
DACH-acetato-Pt arrested wild-type p53 cells in G1 and mutant p53 cells in G2-M. The G1 arrest by
DACH-acetato-Pt was abrogated in HPV 16 E6 transfectant clones of OVCA-429 cells. In agreement with effects on cell cycle progression, a 2-h pulse exposure to low concentrations (< or =25 microM) of
DACH-acetato-Pt induced marked increases in p53 and p21Waf1/Cip1 expression in OVCA-429 cells.
Cisplatin, in direct contrast, had no effect on expression of p53 or p21Waf1/Cip1 until the
drug concentration was increased to 125 microM. In HPV 16 E6 transfectants of OVCA-429 cells, induction of p53 by the two agents was severely attenuated, and corresponding increases in p21Waf1/Cip1 were abrogated. This suggests that p21Waf1/Cip1 increases were p53 dependent. Collectively, the results demonstrate that
DACH-acetato-Pt is very distinct from
cisplatin. In particular, the greater activity of
DACH-acetato-Pt in
cisplatin-resistant wild-type p53 ovarian
tumor models can be ascribed to its ability to more efficiently induce p53
protein and activate p53 functions.