Targeting RAS-RAF pathway significantly improves antitumor activity of Rigosertib-derived platinum(IV) complexes and overcomes cisplatin resistance.

RAS-RAF pathway presents a valuable target for the cancer treatment due to its important roles in the regulation of tumor proliferation, apoptosis and the obtained resistance. To explore such target a RAS/CRAF interference agent, was therefore conjugated with Pt(IV) prodrugs via ester bond, resulting in total eleven multifunctional Pt(IV) complexes. The complexes could target genomic DNA and disrupt the signaling transduction from RAS protein to CRAF so that block the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Experiments in vitro indicated that all of the Pt(IV) complexes showed potent anti-tumor activity with IC values ranged from 8 nM to 22.55 μM, which were significantly improved as compared with cisplatin (CDDP) whose IC values ranged from 5.45 μM to 9.05 μM. Among them, 26 exerted the best anti-tumor activity in vitro, which not only exhibited excellent cytotoxicity against normal tumor cells, but also against CDDP-resistance cell lines (e.g. A549/CDDP and SKOV-3/CDDP). Importantly, 26 only showed little effect on normal cell lines such as HUEVC and LO2. Besides, the following biological mechanisms studies demonstrated that 26 could efficiently enter. A549 cells, significantly arrest cell cycle at G2/M phase, disrupt the signaling pathway and trigger endogenous caspase apoptosis pathway. Furthermore, results of a xenograft subcutaneous model of A549 tumor showed that 26 could effectively decrease tumor growth rates without causing loss of bodyweight.