Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Relative Reaction Rates Of The Amino Acids Cysteine, Methionine, And Histidine With Analogs Of The Anti-Cancer Drug Cisplatin, Cynthia A. Tope

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

We are studying the reaction of analogs of the anticancer drug cisplatin with amino acids that differ in size and shape. The reaction of cisplatin with proteins likely precedes reaction with DNA in the body, forming a variety of products that may be toxic to the human body. The size and shape of the platinum(II) complexes often affects the rate of reaction with proteins, more so than with DNA. In this study, triamine cisplatin analogs are reacted with the amino acids cysteine, methionine, and histidine simultaneously. These reactions are monitored by NMR spectroscopy. The effect of the bulk of the …