Possible DNA-Interacting Pathways for Metal-Based Compounds Exemplified with Copper Coordination Compounds

摘要

Since the fortuitous discovery of the anticancer properties of cisplatin and its successful introduction in chemotherapy in 1978, numerous cytotoxic, metal-based molecules have been increasingly reported in the literature. Due to the specific mechanism of action of cisplatin, DNA represents the main target for the design of potential metal-containing antitumor agents. In the present microreview, the different pathways in which a metal complex can interact/degrade DNA are presented and some illustrative examples of DNA-binding/DNA-cleaving copper coordination compounds are described.