The displacement of iron(III) from its complexes with the anticancer drugs piroxantrone and losoxantrone by the hydrolyzed form of the cardioprotective agent dexrazoxane.

Piroxantrone and losoxantrone are new DNA topoisomerase II-targeting anthrapyrazole antitumor agents that display cardiotoxicity both clinically and in animal models. A study was undertaken to see whether dexrazoxane or its hydrolysis product ADR-925 could remove iron(III) from its complexes with piroxantrone or losoxantrone. Their cardiotoxicity may result from the formation of iron(III) complexes of losoxantrone and piroxantrone. Subsequent reductive activation of their iron(III) complexes likely results in oxygen-free radical-mediated cardiotoxicity. Dexrazoxane is in clinical use as a doxorubicin cardioprotective agent. Dexrazoxane presumably acts through its hydrolyzed metal ion binding form ADR-925 by removing iron(III) from its complex with doxorubicin, or by scavenging free iron(III), thus preventing oxygen-free radical-based oxidative damage to the heart tissue. ADR-925 was able to remove iron(III) from its complexes with piroxantrone and losoxantrone, though not as efficiently or as quickly as it could from its complexes with doxorubicin and other anthracyclines. This study provides a basis for utilizing dexrazoxane for the clinical prevention of anthrapyrazole cardiotoxicity.