Synthesis, characterization, DNA interactions and antiproliferative activity on glioblastoma of iminopyridine platinum(II) chelate complexes.

A series of iminopyridine platinum chelate compounds has been prepared and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes were evaluated in C6 tumoral cells as an in vitro model for glioblastoma multiforme. The DNA-binding properties of these complexes were studied by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory calculations were performed in an effort to rationalize the observed properties at the molecular level. The most promising drug candidate displayed a similar potency in inducing cell death to the clinically used reference compound and showed significant inhibition of glioblastoma cell proliferation. Moreover, this compound had a safer profile than cisplatin on non-tumoral cells.