Metal-Binding to Bio-polymers: Some Thoughts on Anti-tumour Activity

Abstract

The effect of a large series of platinum complexes upon growing tumour cells has now been examined. As a consequence the active anti-tumour compounds are well-separated from the inactive compounds. Unfortunately this knowledge has not yet been supported by an equivalent study either of the chemistry of platinum/biopolymer reactions or of their molecular biology. Consequently, and despite the fact that the discovery of these chemicals leads to the possibility of following anti-tumour activity with inorganic probes, we are not able to make specific statements about the functional significance of platinum at the molecular level. The worst feature of all is the decreasing effort at the micro-biological level. I return to this point later.