New families of minor groove binders : synthesis, biophysical and biochemical evaluation and their role in apoptosis

Abstract

There is an active field in the design and synthesis of DNA targeting molecules as potential anticancer agents. Although a number of successful drug treatments against a variety of cancers are in clinical use, many of these have little sequence specificity and as a result exhibit high toxic side effects on normal tissues. Consequently, it is essential that these existing agents are optimised and new more improved agents be designed.