Purine derivatives as metal ligands and potential pharmacological agents

• Grant number: 18/04982-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Ana Maria da Costa Ferreira
• Grantee: Júlia Freixedelo Silveiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07937-8 - Redoxome - Redox Processes in Biomedicine, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Investigations on the reactivity of essential metal complexes with purine derivatives are proposed with the aim of verifying its potentiality as pharmacological agents. Purine derivatives have been cited in the literature as inhibitors of kinases, enzymes that regulate the cell cycle, and as potential antitumor agents, some of them already tested clinically. Based on our experience with metal complexes coordinated to imines, another class of complexes is focused in this project. We intend to isolate new ligands and its corresponding metal species, especially with copper(II) or zinc(II), to characterize them by spectroscopic techniques (UV/Vis, IR, EPR, CD, NMR and ESI-MS), and finally to verify its reactivity towards different tumoral cells (neuroblastomas, melanomas, sarcomas, etc.) Its activity as nucleases, causing cleavage of DNA strands, and as inhibitors of specific enzymes (kinases) can be also be investigated, trying to elucidate its mechanisms of action. (AU)