The new antitumor compound, cis-[Pt(NH3)2(4-methylpyridine)Cl]Cl, does not form N7,N7-d(GpG) chelates with DNA. An unexpected preference for platinum binding at the 5'G in d(GpG).

The reaction of the antitumor active agent cis-[Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)Cl]Cl (4-mepy stands for 4-methylpyridine) with d(GpG) has been investigated by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Initially, two mononuclear complexes cis-Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)[d(GpG)-N7(1)] 1 and cis-Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)[d(GpG)-N7(2)] 2 are formed in an unexpected ratio 65:35, as determined by 1H NMR and enzymatic digestion techniques. Both products react further with a second equivalent of cis-[Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)Cl]Cl forming the dinuclear platinum complex [cis-Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)]2[mu-d(GpG)- N7(1),N7(2)] 3. With [Pt(dien)Cl]Cl and [Pt(NH3)3Cl]Cl similar complexes are formed. No evidence was found for the formation of chelates cis-Pt(NH3)(4-mepy) [d(GpG)-N7(1),N7(2)], which would be formed upon ammonia release from the mononuclear complexes 1 and 2. Even addition of strong nucleophiles, like sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, thiourea, cysteine, or methionine, before or after reaction, do not induce the formation of a chelate. Under all conditions the N-donor ligands remain coordinated to Pt in 1,2 and 3. In addition, the results of bacterial survival and mutagenesis experiments with E. coli strains show that the in vivo formation of bifunctional adducts in DNA, comparable to those induced by cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2, by treatment of cells with cis-[Pt(NH3)2(4-mepy)Cl]Cl is unlikely. Also, a mechanism of binding and intercalation is not supported by experimental data. All experiments suggest that the mechanism of action of this new class of antitumor agents must be different from that of cis-Pt(NH3)2Cl2.