A non-crosslinking platinum–acridine hybrid agent shows enhanced cytotoxicity compared to clinical BCNU and cisplatin in glioblastoma cells

Using clonogenic survival assays, we demonstrated that a new platinum–acridine hybrid agent, PT-ACRAMTU, is cytotoxic in SNB19 and U87MG glioblastoma cells at low-micromolar concentrations. PT-ACRAMTU is more cytotoxic than ACRAMTU (the platinum-free acridine), acts in a time and dose dependent manner, and appears to generate an apoptotic response in both cell lines on the basis of increased caspase-3 activity.