Invesligation of potential anti-cancer activities of some compounds containing gold and platinum which the photophysical properties have been determined

Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide, and over the past decade, many studies have focused on finding new treatments that are more effective than traditional treatments. During the progression of cancer, tumors become quite heterogeneous, creating a mixed population of cells characterized by different molecular properties and different responses to therapies. This heterogeneity constitutes a factor responsible for the development of resistant phenotypes supported by a selective pressure on the treatment application. Despite the progress in basic research that has allowed us to better understand tumor biology and led to the design of a new generation of targeted drugs, only small differences in treatment outcomes have been detected by recent large clinical trials for cancer and with some notable exceptions. These sobering facts suggest that in order to make further progress, emphasis should be placed on other therapeutic approaches that exist but are still underappreciated. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has the potential to address many currently unmet medical needs. In this study, new generation materials containing gold and platinum based on bodipy, which are photosensitizing, suitable for photodynamic therapy, synthesized within the scope of TUBITAK 1001 project No. 219Z081, and forms of these materials that become biocompatible with chitosan were used. With this method, it is aimed to increase the drug activity by reducing the toxicity of new generation metal complexes. For this purpose, the MTT test was performed to determine the cytotoxic effects of new generation metal complexes and their biocompatible states on target cancer cells (MCF-7, OV2008 and HT-29) before and after photodynamic therapy (PDT) was applied. As a result of the MTT test, it was determined that the biocompatible forms of these new generation metal complexes limit the cytotoxicity of metal complexes, as we aimed in the direction of our study. Then, LDH test and crystal violet staining were performed to determine the morphological differences in cell membrane integrity and cancer cell lines of metal complexes whose effectiveness was determined after PDT application. At this stage, an apoptosis assay was performed to determine the ways of death of the cells. For this analysis, the HT-29 (colorectal cancer) cell line was selected, in which the chemicals used in combination with PDT (L1 and L2 series) showed the most widespread and effective cytotoxic effect in our study. According to the results we obtained, it has been determined that these new generation metal compounds that we use with PDT initiate the necrotic and apoptotic process in colorectal cancer cells (HT-29).