Question

The fact that Carboplatin which is known as an effective chemotherapeutic agent 

(a) Outline the mechanism by which Carboplatin binds to DNA: 

(b) How does this binding slow the rate of tumour growth?

Answer 1

This agent is characterized by its ability to generate lesions in DNA through the formation of adducts with platinum, thereby inhibiting replication and transcription and leading to cell death.Two theories exist to explain the molecular mechanism of action of carboplatin with DNA:

Aquation, or the like-cisplatin hypothesis.
Activation, or the unlike-cisplatin hypothesis.
The former is more accepted owing to the similarity of the leaving groups with its predecessor cisplatin, while the latter hypothesis envisages a biological activation mechanism to release the active Pt2+ species.

Carboplatin undergoes activation inside cells and forms reactive platinum complexes that cause the intra- and inter-strand cross-linkage of DNA molecules within the cell. This modifies the DNA structure and inhibits DNA synthesis. This may affect a cell in all the phases of its cycle.