Biochemical studies of the thermal effects on DNA modifications by the antitumor cisplatin and their repair.

Using biochemical methods, we have examined the effect of two factors that might play a role in the mechanism of the biological activity of cisplatin at elevated temperatures (>37 degrees C). We show that increased temperatures result in distinct alterations in the modification of the target DNA by cisplatin, and in the repair of these modifications. Our in vitro results support the view that the enhanced DNA-cross-linking efficiency of cisplatin and the lower efficiency of native DNA repair mechanisms at higher temperature play at least a partial role in the potentiation of the antitumor effects of cisplatin under conditions of mild hyperthermia.