Platinum Binding Research Articles

Tailoring the Coordination Micro-Environment in Nanotraps for Efficient Platinum/Palladium Separation.

Recovering platinum group metals from secondary resources is crucial to meet the growing demand for high-tech applications. Various techniques are explored, and adsorption using porous materials has emerged as a promising technology due to its efficient performance and environmental beingness. However, the challenge lies in effectively recovering and separating individual platinum group metals (PGMs) given their similar chemical properties. Herein, a breakthrough approach is presented by sophisticatedly tailoring the coordination micro-environment in a series of aminopyridine-based porous organic polymers, which enables the creation of platinum-specific nanotraps for efficient separation of binary PGMs (platinum/palladium). The newly synthesized POP-o2NH2-Py demonstrates record uptakes and selectivity toward platinum over palladium, with the amino groups adjacent to the pyridine moieties being vital in improving platinum binding performance. Further breakthrough experiments underline its remarkable ability to separate platinum and palladium. Spectroscopic analysis reveals that POP-o2NH2-Py offers a more favorable coordination fashion to platinum ions compared to palladium ions owing to the greater interaction between N and Pt4+ and stronger intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the amino groups and four coordinating chlorines at platinum. These findings underscore the importance of fine-tuning the coordination micro-environment of nanotraps through subtle modifications that can greatly enhance the selectivity toward the desired metal ions.

Quantifying platinum binding on protein-functionalized magnetic microparticles using single particle-ICP-TOF-MS.

This work describes an analytical procedure, single particle-inductively coupled plasma-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-TOF-MS), that was developed to determine the platinum binding efficiency of protein-coated magnetic microparticles. SP-ICP-TOF-MS is advantageous due to its ability to quasi-simultaneously detect all nuclides (7Li-242Pu), allowing for both platinum and iron (composition of magnetic microparticles) to be measured concurrently. This method subsequently allows for the differentiation between bound and unbound platinum. The 1 μm magnetic microparticles were fully characterized for their iron concentration, particle concentration, and trace element composition by bulk digestion-ICP-MS and SP-ICP-TOF-MS. The results of both approaches agreed with the certificate values. Using the single particle methodology the platinum loading was quantified to be to 0.18 ± 0.02 fg per particle and 0.32 ± 0.02 fg per particle, for the streptavidin-coated and azurin-coated microparticles, respectively. Both streptavidin-coated and the azurin-coated microparticles had a particle-platinum association of >65%. Platinum bound samples were also analyzed via bulk digestion-based ICP-MS. The bulk ICP-MS results overestimated platinum loading due to free platinum in the samples. This highlights the importance of single particle analysis for a closer inspection of platinum binding performance. The SP-ICP-TOF-MS approach offers advantages over typical bulk digestion methods by eliminating laborious sample preparation, enabling differentiation between bound/unbound platinum in a solution, and quantification of platinum on a particle-by-particle basis. The procedure presented here enables quantification of metal content per particle, which could be broadly implemented for other single particle applications.

Anticancer Activity, Reduction Mechanism and G-Quadruplex DNA Binding of a Redox-Activated Platinum(IV)-Salphen Complex.

Aiming at reducing the unselective cytotoxicity of Pt(II) chemotherapeutics, a great deal of effort has been concentrated into the design of metal-containing drugs with different anticancer mechanisms of action. Inert Pt(IV) prodrugs have been proposed to be a valid alternative as they are activated by reduction directly into the cell releasing active Pt(II) species. On the other hand, a promising strategy for designing metallodrugs is to explore new potential biological targets rather than canonical B-DNA. G-quadruplex nucleic acid, obtained by self-assembly of guanine-rich nucleic acid sequences, has recently been considered an attractive target for anticancer drug design. Therefore, compounds capable of binding and stabilizing this type of DNA structure would be greatly beneficial in anticancer therapy. Here, computational analysis reports the mechanism of action of a recently synthesized Pt(IV)-salphen complex conjugating the inertness of Pt(IV) prodrugs with the ability to bind G-quadruplexes of the corresponding Pt(II) complex. The reduction mechanism of the Pt(IV) complex with a biological reducing agent was investigated in depth by means of DFT, whereas classical MD simulations were carried out to shed light into the binding mechanism of the released Pt(II) complex. The results show that the Pt(IV) prodrug may be reduced by both inner- and outer-sphere mechanisms, and the active Pt(II) complex, as a function of its protonation state, stabilizes the G-quadruplex DNA prevalently, either establishing π-stacking interactions with the terminal G-tetrad or through electrostatic interactions along with H-bonds formation.

DNA Conformational Changes Induced by Its Interaction with Binuclear Platinum Complexes in Solution Indicate the Molecular Mechanism of Platinum Binding.

Platinum anticancer drugs inhibit the division of cancer cells through a DNA binding mechanism. The bimetallic platinum compounds have a possibility for blocking DNA replication via the cross-linking of DNA functional groups at different distances. Many compounds with metals of the platinum group have been tested for possible antitumor activity. The main target of their biological action is a DNA molecule. A combined approach to the study of the interaction of DNA with biologically active compounds of this type is proposed. The capabilities of various methods (hydrodynamic, spectral, microscopy) in obtaining information on the type of binding of coordination compounds to DNA are compared. The analysis of DNA binding with platinum binuclear compounds containing pyrazine, tetrazole, 5- methyltetrazole, 3-propanediamine as bridging ligands in a solution was carried out with the methods of circular dichroism (CD), luminescent spectroscopy (LS), low gradient viscometry (LGV), flow birefringence (FB) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The competitive binding of different platinum compounds to DNA and the analysis of platinum attachment to DNA after protonation of its nitrogen bases simply indicates the involvement of N7 guanine in binding. Fluorescent dye DAPI was also used to recognize the location of platinum compounds in DNA grooves. DNA conformational changes recorded by variations in persistent length, polyelectrolyte swelling, DNA secondary structure, and its stability clarify the molecular mechanism of the biological activity of platinum compounds.

Protein Binding of a Novel Platinum-Based Anticancer Agent BP-C1 Containing a Lignin-Derived Polymeric Ligand

Platinum (Pt) antineoplastic agents remain indispensable for the treatment of oncological disease. Pt-based drugs are mainly used in the therapy of ovarian cancer and non-small-cell lung carcinoma. A novel platinum-containing antineoplastic agent BP-C1 is a complex of diamminoplatinum with an oxygen-donor polymeric ligand of benzene-polycarboxylic acids, isolated from natural lignin. The aim of the study was to investigate ex vivo protein binding of BP-C1. Protein binding of BP-C1 was tested using equilibrium dialysis. Pooled blood plasma was used in the study. Control solutions contained the same dosages of BP-C1 in PBS (pH 7.2). Plasma and control solutions were submitted to equilibrium dialysis across a vertical 8 kDa cut-off membrane for 4 h at 37 °C under gentle shaking. Platinum was quantified in dialysis and retained fractions using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The dialysis system was tested and validated; this showed no protein saturation with platinum. A medium degree of binding of platinum to macromolecular species of ca. 60% was observed. The study showed the maintenance of a high fraction of free BP-C1 in the bloodstream, facilitating its pharmacological activity.

Platinum binding preferences dominate the binding of novel polyamide amidine anthraquinone platinum(ii) complexes to DNA

Platinum(ii) complexes with a threading anthraquinone intercalator and a pyrrole lexitropsin have DNA profiles surprisingly similar to that of cisplatin suggesting the platinum binding dominates the sequence selectivity.

Modeling of Chemoperfusion vs. Intravenous Administration of Cisplatin in Wistar Rats: Adsorption and Tissue Distribution.

Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) is an established form of locoregional chemotherapy of peritoneum tumors. However, its efficacy and safety status remain a controversy, partially, due to scarce data on pharmacokinetics and toxicity profile of drugs under HIPEC. In the current study, 24 female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin as HIPEC (n = 12, 20 mg/kg) or intravenously (i.v., n = 9, 4 mg/kg). The subgroups of three animals were used for the initial, intermediate, and late phases of the pharmacokinetic assessment. The animals were sacrificed on days 1 and 5. Blood, liver, kidney, and ovaries were evaluated for platinum content. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation was undertaken in the liver and kidney. A trend for higher blood plasma platinum levels was observed for HIPEC compared to i.v. Significantly lower (p < 0.001) relative platinum binding to the proteins was observed in HIPEC animals compared to the i.v. administration. A five-fold higher concentration of cisplatin in HIPEC resulted in a ca. 2.5-fold increase in total blood platinum and ca. two-fold increase in blood ultrafitrable platinum (“free” Pt). Immunohistochemistry revealed higher kidney and liver damage after i.v. administration of cisplatin compared to HIPEC, although a five-fold higher dose of cisplatin was applied in HIPEC. Together with relatively lower absorption to the systemic circulation in HIPEC, higher protein binding is probably the primary reason for lower observed toxicity in HIPEC animals.

Abstract 2112: Structural characterization of transmembrane protein TMEM205

Abstract Cisplatin resistance is notorious in leading to therapeutic failure of many solid malignancies. Various resistance mechanisms have been proposed while many more are being added, based on the growing number of resistance-inducing genes identified. TMEM205 is an integral membrane protein with unknown function, but its intracellular level was found markedly elevated in cisplatin resistance cells, the mechanism of which is unknown. Here for the first time we characterized the molecular mechanism of TMEM205-mediated cisplatin resistance through structural and functional studies of TMEM205. The crystal structure of the full-length TMEM205 was obtained at 2.5 Å resolution and shows a 4-helix bundle with a highly hydrophilic tunnel. Strong anomalous signals were observed indicating platinum binding sites. Our structural and functional study of TMEM205 provides novel insight into the complexity of cisplatin resistance. Citation Format: Xiaoyun Bai, Di Xia. Structural characterization of transmembrane protein TMEM205 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2112.

Studies on the synthesis, characterization, cytotoxic activities and plasmid DNA binding of platinum(II) complexes having 2-subsituted benzimidazole ligands

The aim of this study was to synthesize and evaluate the cytotoxic activities and plasmid DNA interaction of some new platinum(II) complexes, which may have potent cytotoxic activity and low side effects, with benzimidazole derivatives containing some amino acid residues as substituents in their 2 position. Seven 2-subtituted benzimidazole derivatives (1–7) (2-(H, methyl isopropyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl 1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl or 4-hydroxybenzyl)benzimidazole, respectively), seven platinum(II) complexes with two chlorido leaving groups (1a–7a) and six platinum(II) complexes with an oxalato leaving group (2b–7b) bearing the benzimidazole carrier ligand were synthesized. The chemical structures of the compounds were characterized by their elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR, and HRMS spectra. The compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human HeLa cervical cancer cell lines. The interaction of all the ligands and their complexes with plasmid DNA and their restriction endonuclease reactions with BamHI and HindIII enzymes were investigated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Compounds 1a, 3a, 3b, 6, 7a and 7b, having 2-(H, isopropyl, 1H-imidazol-4-ylmethyl or 4-hydroxybenzyl)benzimidazole carrier ligands, have moderate in vitro cytotoxic activity, close to that of carboplatin.

DNA binding and antitumor activities of platinum(IV) and zinc(II) complexes with some S-alkyl derivatives of thiosalicylic acid

A series of complexes of platinum(IV) (C1–C5) and zinc(II) (C6–C10) with S-alkyl derivatives of thiosalicylic acid were prepared and characterized. The interactions of the complexes with calf thymus DNA were analyzed by absorption (UV–Vis) and emission spectral studies (ethidium bromide displacement studies). The cytotoxic activities of complexes C1–C10 were determined against mouse B cell lymphocytic leukemia cells (BCL1), human B-prolymphocytic leukemia (JVM-13), mouse mammary carcinoma cells (4T1), and human mammary carcinoma cells (MDA-MB-468) and compared to the activities of the free ligand precursors and cisplatin. The cytotoxicities of the platinum(IV) and zinc(II) complexes toward mouse tumor cell lines were higher compared with their effects on human tumor cell lines. The zinc(II) complex C9 showed the highest antitumor activity toward the tested human cell lines, while the platinum(IV) complex C4 exhibited the highest antitumor activity toward mouse BCL1 and 4T1 cells. Both C4 and C9 have ligands derived from S-propyl thiosalicylic acid.

Differential Reactivity of Metal Binding Domains of Copper ATPases towards Cisplatin and Colocalization of Copper and Platinum.

The Menkes (MNK) and Wilson (WLN) disease proteins are two P-type ATPases responsible for active Cu efflux. These ATPases are also associated with resistance to cisplatin. In this work, different metal-binding domains (MBDs) of ATPases (9 out of 12 domains) were compared based on their reactivity towards cisplatin. The reaction rates of the MBDs can be largely different; the reaction of MNK6 is about six times faster than that of WLN2. Copper coordination favors the platination of the MBDs to different extents. The rate of platination was generally greater for holo-MBDs than for apo-MBDS (particularly in the case of WLN4 and WLN2); however, it was negligibly affected in the case of MNK6. Interestingly, the platinum binding weakens the CuI coordination, but does not expel the copper ion from MBDs. The latter results nicely explain the inhibitory effect of Cu upon the cisplatin translocation promoted by Cu-ATPases and can help in understanding how copper levels can modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to platinum chemotherapy.

Immobilisation of Platinum by Cupriavidus metallidurans

The metal resistant bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34, challenged with aqueous platinous and platinic chloride, rapidly immobilized platinum. XANES/EXAFS analysis of these reaction systems demonstrated that platinum binding shifted from chloride to carboxyl functional groups within the bacteria. Pt(IV) was more toxic than Pt(II), presumably due to the oxidative stress imparted by the platinic form. Platinum immobilisation increased with time and with increasing concentrations of platinum. From a bacterial perspective, intracellular platinum concentrations were two to three orders of magnitude greater than the fluid phase, and became saturated at almost molar concentrations in both reaction systems. TEM revealed that C. metallidurans was also able to precipitate nm-scale colloidal platinum, primarily along the cell envelope where energy generation/electron transport occurs. Cells enriched in platinum shed outer membrane vesicles that were enriched in metallic, colloidal platinum, likely representing an important detoxification strategy. The formation of organo-platinum compounds and membrane encapsulated nanophase platinum, supports a role for bacteria in the formation and transport of platinum in natural systems, forming dispersion halos important to metal exploration.

Correction: Reactions of metallodrugs with proteins: selective binding of phosphane-based platinum(ii) dichlorides to horse heart cytochrome c probed by ESI MS coupled to enzymatic cleavage.

Correction for 'Reactions of metallodrugs with proteins: selective binding of phosphane-based platinum(ii) dichlorides to horse heart cytochrome c probed by ESI MS coupled to enzymatic cleavage' by Carolin Mügge et al., Metallomics, 2011, 3, 987-990.

An Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopic Study of Cisplatin and Transplatin Interactions with Genomic DNA.

Ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy is a label-free method to define biomacromolecular interactions with anticancer compounds. Using UVRR, we describe the binding interactions of two Pt(II) compounds, cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)) and its isomer, transplatin, with nucleotides and genomic DNA. Cisplatin binds to DNA and other cellular components and triggers apoptosis, whereas transplatin is clinically ineffective. Here, a 244 nm UVRR study shows that purine UVRR bands are altered in frequency and intensity when mononucleotides are treated with cisplatin. This result is consistent with previous suggestions that purine N7 provides the cisplatin-binding site. The addition of cisplatin to DNA also causes changes in the UVRR spectrum, consistent with binding of platinum to purine N7 and disruption of hydrogen-bonding interactions between base pairs. Equally important is that transplatin treatment of DNA generates similar UVRR spectral changes, when compared to cisplatin-treated samples. Kinetic analysis, performed by monitoring decreases of the 1492 cm-1 band, reveals biphasic kinetics and is consistent with a two-step binding mechanism for both platinum compounds. For cisplatin-DNA, the rate constants (6.8 × 10-5 and 6.5 × 10-6 s-1) are assigned to the formation of monofunctional adducts and to bifunctional, intrastrand cross-linking, respectively. In transplatin-DNA, there is a 3.4-fold decrease in the rate constant of the slow phase, compared with the cisplatin samples. This change is attributed to generation of interstrand, rather than intrastrand, adducts. This longer reaction time may result in increased competition in the cellular environment and account, at least in part, for the lower pharmacological efficacy of transplatin.

VPA does not enhance platinum binding to DNA in cisplatin-resistant neuroblastoma cancer cells.

Neuroblastoma represents a malignancy of the sympathetic nervous system characteristic by biological heterogeneity. Thus, chemotherapy exhibits only low effectivity in curing high-risk forms. Previous studies revealed the cytotoxic potential of valproate on neuroblastoma cells. Nevertheless, these studies omitted effects of hypoxia, despite its undeniable tumorigenic role. In this study, we addressed the question whether valproate promotes binding of platinum-based anti-cancer drugs (cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin) to DNA and role of hypoxia, cellular antioxidant capacity and cisplatin resistance in this process. Following parameters differed significantly when cells were exposed to treatment with platinum-based drugs: elevation of platinum content bound to DNA, elevation of total thiol content, GSH/GSSG ratio, glutathione reductase and peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and elevation of antioxidant capacity. Hypoxia caused a decrease in cytosine/adenine peak, and no changes in platinum-DNA binding properties were observed. After valproate co-treatment, oxidative stress-related parameters and cytosine/adenine peak were only elevated. The amount of platinum bound to DNA was not changed significantly. Valproate is not able to enhance platinum binding to DNA in neuroblastoma cells, neither in case of intrinsic resistance (UKF-NB-4) nor in case of acquired resistance (UKF-NB-4CDDP). Therefore, another mechanism different from increase in platinum binding to DNA should be considered as a synergistic effect of valproate by cisplatin treatment.

Direct inhibition of STAT signaling by platinum drugs contributes to their anti-cancer activity.

Platinum-based chemotherapeutics are amongst the most powerful anti-cancer drugs. Although their exact mechanism of action is not well understood, it is thought to be mediated through covalent DNA binding. We investigated the effect of platinum-based chemotherapeutics on signaling through signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins, which are involved in many oncogenic signaling pathways.We performed in vitro experiments in various cancer cell lines, investigating the effects of platinum chemotherapeutics on STAT phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, the expression of STAT-modulating proteins and downstream signaling pathways. Direct binding of platinum to STAT proteins was assessed using an AlphaScreen assay. Nuclear STAT3 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and correlated with disease-free survival in retrospective cohorts of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients treated with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy (n = 65) or with radiotherapy alone (n = 32).At clinically relevant concentrations, platinum compounds inhibited STAT phosphorylation, resulting in loss of constitutively activated STAT proteins in multiple distinct cancer cell lines. Platinum drugs specifically inhibited phospho-tyrosine binding to SH2 domains, thereby blocking STAT activation, and subsequently downregulating pro-survival- and anti-apoptotic- target genes. Importantly, we found that active STAT3 in tumors directly correlated with response to cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in HNSCC patients (p = 0.006).These findings provide insight into a novel, non-DNA-targeted mechanism of action of platinum drugs, and could be leveraged into the use of STAT expression as predictive biomarker for cisplatin chemotherapy and to potentiate other therapeutic strategies such as immunotherapy.

A spectroscopic investigation into the binding of novel platinum(IV) and platium(II) anticancer drugs with DNA

Platinum(II) complexes have had enormous success in cancer chemotherapy and novel PtIV complexes show potential for reduced toxic side effects and different mechanisms of action. While the action of PtII anticancer drugs with DNA has been well characterized with X-ray and many spectroscopic modalities, the mechanisms of binding PtIV complexes to DNA require further fundamental studies. In the present work using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, we have extensively analyzed conformational changes in both single-stranded (ss) and double-stranded (ds) calf-thymus DNA, after binding to the PtIV anticancer complex, [Pt{((p-HC6F4)NCH2)2}(py)2(OH)2] (py=pyridine) (Pt103(OH)2), and its PtII analogue, [Pt{((p-HC6F4)NCH2)2}(py)2] (Pt103) in buffered aqueous acetone (55% water), under which conditions no hydrolysis of drugs occurs. To aid in band assignments of the Pt derivatives, DFT calculations using the M062X/cc-pVDZ level of theory were performed. The ssDNA is distorted and its conformation changes more towards the A-like DNA of dsDNA upon binding to both Pt103 and Pt103(OH)2. This conclusion is derived from the changes in the PO2− symmetric stretching vibrations (1086 to 1093cm−1) and CO (1055 to 1062cm−1) and CC (968 to 965cm−1) stretching vibrations of the phosphodiester backbone. Unlike ssDNA, only Pt103 binding to dsDNA induces distortions along with a conformational change in dsDNA from a more B-DNA like form to the more compact and distorted A-DNA form. The results show that there is no apparent reduction of Pt103(OH)2. Moreover, we demonstrate that Pt103(OH)2 can directly bind to ssDNA without any prior reduction. This study provides new insights into how these novel PtII and PtIV complexes interact with DNA. These results may have implications relevant to the development of new anti-cancer agents.

Prediction of ligand effects in platinum-amyloid-β coordination

Ligand field molecular mechanics (LFMM) and semi-empirical Parametric Model 7 (PM7) methods are applied to a series of six PtII-Ligand systems binding to the N-terminal domain of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. Molecular dynamics using a combined LFMM/Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement (AMBER) approach is used to explore the conformational freedom of the peptide fragment, and identifies favourable platinum binding modes and peptide conformations for each ligand investigated. Platinum coordination is found to depend on the nature of the ligand, providing evidence that binding mode may be controlled by suitable ligand design. Boltzmann populations at 310K indicate that each Pt-Aβ complex has a small number of thermodynamically accessible states. Ramachandran maps are constructed for the sampled Pt-Aβ conformations and secondary structural analysis of the obtained complex structures is performed and contrasted with the free peptide; coordination of these platinum complexes disrupts existing secondary structure in the Aβ peptide and promotes formation of ligand-specific turn-type secondary structure.

Effect of platinum anticancer drugs on the cytochrome c conformation

Cytochrome c is an important electron transfer carrier in mitochondrial electron transfer and is essential for apoptosis. In the present work we have examined the effect of platinum (II) complexes (cisplatin, transplatin and carboplatin) on the conformation of cytochrome c and the state of heme moiety. For this purpose, UV–VIS spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and absorption second derivative spectroscopy methods have been used. Moreover, the amount of platinum per mole of cytochrome c and stability of carboplatin–cytochrome c system have been determined by ICP-AES and zeta potential measurements, respectively.The present data has revealed that binding of platinum (II) complexes to cytochrome c induces a conformation of the protein with less organized tertiary structure.Determination of tyrosine exposure by second-derivative spectroscopy indicates changes occurring in the tyrosyl microenvironment, which becomes more polar following the more open conformation compared to that of a native protein.The reaction of cytochrome c with platinum complexes led to the changes in spectral properties, most notably the decreases in intensity of the absorption band at 695nm, indicating that platinum complexes may affect coordination Met-80 with the heme iron. Under physiological conditions the carboplatin-cytochrome c system shows instability, what is desired effect from the pharmacological point of view.

Biodistribution of cisplatin revealed by imaging mass cytometry identifies extensive collagen binding in tumor and normal tissues

Imaging mass cytometry was used for direct visualization of platinum localization in tissue sections from tumor and normal tissues of cisplatin-treated mice bearing pancreas cancer patient-derived xenografts. This recently-developed technology enabled simultaneous detection of multiple markers to define cell lineage, DNA damage response, cell proliferation and functional state, providing a highly detailed view of drug incorporation in tumor and normal tissues at the cellular level. A striking and unanticipated finding was the extensive binding of platinum to collagen fibers in both tumor and normal mouse tissues. Time course experiments indicated the slow release of stroma-bound platinum, although it is currently unclear if released platinum retains biological activity. Imaging mass cytometry offers a unique window into the in vivo effects of platinum compounds, and it is likely that this can be extended into the clinic in order to optimize the use of this important class of agent.