5.3. Platinum salts

Platinum salts are coordination complexes of platinum used as chemotherapeutic drugs. Cisplatin and oxaliplatin interfere with DNA repair mechanism inducing intrastrand cross-link adducts activating the proapoptotic pathways. The platinum compound effect depends also by the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for an apoptotic response and DNA damage.

Lida et al. presented evidence in the same study involving CpG-ODN that the therapeutic effect of the platinum salts on transplanted subcutaneous tumor depends on the presence of mice microbiota. The authors sustained that the ROS required for the genotoxic effect of these chemotherapies are produced in vivo by inflammatory cells associated to the tumor [41].

GF mice and antibiotic treatment attenuated the pharmacological effect and reduced the expression of ROS-responsive genes.

Moreover, using transgenic mice deficient for the myeloid NADPH oxidase NOX2 (Cybb\_/\_) with a low ROS response, the effect of oxaliplatin was attenuated.

The study highlights the importance of commensal on an efficient therapy by its contribution to tumor reduction.
