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A new ligand BTCP and its iridium(III) complex [Ir(ppy)₂(BTCP)]PF₆ (Ir-1) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR. The cytotoxic activity in vitro of the ligand and its complex against SGC-7901, HeLa, HOS, PC-12, BEL-7402, MG-63, SiHa, A549, HepG2 and normal cell LO2 were evaluated by MTT method [MTT = (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)]. The apoptosis was assayed with AO/EB and Hoechst 33258 staining methods. The reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential, autophagy and cell invasion were studied under fluorescent microscope. The expression of caspases and Bcl-2 family proteins were investigated by western blot. The IC₅₀ values of complex toward SGC-7901, BEL-7402 and MG-63 cells are 3.9 ± 0.5, 5.4 ± 1.2 and 4.2 ± 0.6 µM. The complex can increase the levels of ROS, and induce a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Ir-1 inhibits the cell growth at G0/G1 phase in SGC-7901 cells, and the complex can induce both autophagy and apoptosis and inhibit the cell invasion. And the complex induces apoptosis through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction pathway. Show less

Mononuclear Ru(III) complexes of the type [Ru(LL)Cl2(H2O)] (LL = monobasic tridentate Schiff base anion: (1Z)-N'-(2-{(E)-[1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylidene]amino}ethyl)-N-phenylethanimidamide [DAE], 4-[(1E)-N-{2-[(Z)-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)amino]ethyl}ethanimidoyl]benzene-1,3-diol [HME], 4-[(1E)-N-{2-[(Z)-(3,4-dimethoxybenzylidene)amino]ethyl}ethanimidoyl]benzene-1,3-diol [MBE], and N-(2-{(E)-[1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylidene]amino}ethyl)benzenecarboximidoyl chloride [DEE]) were synthesized and characterized using the microanalytical, conductivity measurements, electronic spectra, and FTIR spectroscopy. IR spectral studies confirmed that the ligands act as tridentate chelate coordinating the metal ion through the azomethine nitrogen and phenolic oxygen atom. An octahedral geometry has been proposed for all Ru(III)-Schiff base complexes. In vitro anticancer studies of the synthesized complexes against renal cancer cells (TK-10), melanoma cancer cells (UACC-62), and breast cancer cells (MCF-7) was investigated using the Sulforhodamine B assay. [Ru(DAE)Cl2(H2O)] showed the highest activity with IC50 valves of 3.57 ± 1.09, 6.44 ± 0.38, and 9.06 ± 1.18 μM against MCF-7, UACC-62, and TK-10, respectively, order of activity being TK-10 < UACC-62 < MCF-7. The antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS inhibition assay was also examined. Scavenging ability of the complexes on DPPH radical can be ranked in the following order: [Ru(DEE)Cl2(H2O)] > [Ru(HME)Cl2(H2O)] > [Ru(DAE)Cl2(H2O)] > [Ru(MBE)Cl2(H2O)]. Show less

Two novel photoactivatable mitochondria-targeting luminescent iridium(III) poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) complexes incorporated with a nitrobenzyl group were designed. They showed minimal cytotoxic activity in the dark, but became significantly cytotoxic upon irradiation due to the release of the PEG pendants. Show less

A new class of cyclometalated Ir(iii) complexes supported by various bidentate C-deprotonated (C^N) and cis-chelating bis(N-heterocyclic carbene) (bis-NHC) ligands has been synthesized. These complexes display strong emission in deaerated solutions at room temperature with photoluminescence quantum yields up to 89% and emission lifetimes up to 96 μs. A photo-stable complex containing C-deprotonated fluorenyl-substituted C^N shows no significant decomposition even upon irradiation for over 120 h by blue LEDs (12 W). These, together with the strong absorption in the visible region and rich photo-redox properties, allow the bis-NHC Ir(iii) complexes to act as good photo-catalysts for reductive C-C bond formation from C(sp³/sp²)-Br bonds cleavage using visible-light irradiation (λ > 440 nm). A water-soluble complex with a glucose-functionalized bis-NHC ligand catalysed a visible-light-driven radical cyclization for the synthesis of pyrrolidine in aqueous media. Also, the bis-NHC Ir(iii) complex in combination with a cobalt catalyst can catalyse the visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction with excellent turnover numbers (>2400) and selectivity (CO over H₂ in gas phase: >95%). Additionally, this series of bis-NHC Ir(iii) complexes are found to localize in and stain endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of various cell lines with high selectivity, and exhibit high cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, revealing their potential uses as bioimaging and/or anti-cancer agents. Show less

The Ru(III) complexes indazolium [trans-RuCl4(1H-indazole)2] (KP1019) and sodium [trans-RuCl4(1H-indazole)2] (NKP-1339) are leading candidates for the next generation of metal-based chemotherapeutics. Trifluoromethyl derivatives of these compounds and their imidazole and pyridine analogues were synthesized to probe the effect of ligand lipophilicity on the pharmacological properties of these types of complexes. Addition of CF3 groups also provided a spectroscopic handle for (19)F NMR studies of ligand exchange processes and protein interactions. The lipophilicities of the CF3-functionalized compounds and their unsubstituted parent complexes were quantified by the shake-flask method to give the distribution coefficient D at pH 7.4 (log D7.4). The solution behavior of the CF3-functionalized complexes was characterized in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) using (19)F NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and UV-vis spectroscopies. These techniques, along with fluorescence competition experiments, were also used to characterize interactions with human serum albumin (HSA). From these studies it was determined that increased lipophilicity correlates with reduced solubility in PBS but enhancement of noncoordinate interactions with hydrophobic domains of HSA. These protein interactions improve the solubility of the complexes and inhibit the formation of oligomeric species. EPR measurements also demonstrated the formation of HSA-coordinated species with longer incubation. (19)F NMR spectra show that the trifluoromethyl complexes release axial ligands in PBS and in the presence of HSA. In vitro testing showed that the most lipophilic complexes had the greatest cytotoxic activity. Addition of CF3 groups enhances the activity of the indazole complex against A549 nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cells. Furthermore, in the case of the pyridine complexes, the parent compound was inactive against the HT-29 human colon carcinoma cell line but showed strong cytotoxicity with CF3 functionalization. Overall, these studies demonstrate that lipophilicity may be a determining factor in the anticancer activity and pharmacological behavior of these types of Ru(III) complexes. Show less

Eight ruthenium(ii) compounds of the general formula [(η(5)-C5H5)Ru(N-N)(PPh3)][PF6] were rationally designed, exhibiting high cytotoxicity against HCT116 human colon cancer cells, with IC50 between 14.56 and 1.56 μM; importantly, compounds 5Ru and 6Ru are the first reported ruthenium glycoconjugates exploiting glucose transporters, widely overexpressed in cancer, for cellular uptake. Show less

This report presents the first known p-cymene ruthenium quinaldamide complexes which are stabilised by a hydrogen-bridging atom, [{(p-cym)Ru(II)X(N,N)}{H(+)}{(N,N)XRu(II)(p-cym)}][PF6] (N,N = functionalised quinaldamide and X = Cl or Br). These complexes are formed by a reaction of [p-cymRu(μ-X)2]2 with a functionalised quinaldamide ligand. When filtered over NH4PF6, and under aerobic conditions the equilibrium of NH4PF6 ⇔ NH3 + HPF6 enables incorporation of HPF6 and the stabilisation of two monomeric ruthenium complexes by a bridging H(+), which are counter-balanced by a PF6 counterion. X-ray crystallographic analysis is presented for six new structures with OO distances of 2.420(4)-2.448(15) Å, which is significant for strong hydrogen bonds. Chemosensitivity studies against HCT116, A2780 and cisplatin-resistant A2780cis human cancer cells showed the ruthenium complexes with a bromide ancillary ligand to be more potent than those with a chloride ligand. The 4'-fluoro compounds show a reduction in potency for both chloride and bromide complexes against all cell lines, but an increase in selectivity towards cancer cells compared to non-cancer ARPE-19 cells, with a selectivity index >1. Mechanistic studies showed a clear correlation between IC50 values and induction of cell death by apoptosis. Show less

Four organometallic complexes [(η(6)-C6H6)RuCl(pmpzdpm)], 1; [(η(6)-C6H6)RuCl(pypzdpm)], 2; [(η(6)-C10H14)RuCl(pmpzdpm)], 3 and [(η(6)-C10H14)RuCl(pypzdpm)], 4 containing 5-(2-pyrimidyl-piperazine)phenyldipyrromethene (pmpzdpm) and 5-(2-pyridylpiperazine)phenyldipyrromethene (pypzdpm) have been designed and synthesized. The complexes 1-4 have been fully characterized by elemental analyses and spectroscopic studies (ESI-MS, IR, (1)H, (13)C NMR, UV-vis). Their electrostatic/intercalative interaction with CT DNA has been investigated by UV-vis and competitive ethidium bromide displacement studies while their protein binding affinity toward bovine serum albumin (BSA) was realized by UV-vis, fluorescence, synchronous and three dimensional (3D) fluorescence studies. The interaction with DNA and protein has further been validated by in silico studies. Cellular uptake, in vitro cytotoxicity and flow cytometric analyses have been performed to determine the mode of cell death against the kidney cancer cell line ACHN. Cell cycle analysis suggested that the complexes cause cell cycle arrest in the subG1 phase and overall results indicated that the in vitro antitumor activity of 1-4 lies in the order of 3 >4 >1 >2 (IC50, 7.0 1; 8.0 2; 2.0 3; 4.0 μM,4 ). Show less

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes can intercalate DNA with high affinity and prevent cell proliferation; however, the direct impact of ruthenium-based intercalation on cellular DNA replication remains unknown. Here we show the multi-intercalator [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)](2+) (dppz = dipyridophenazine, PIP = 2-(phenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) immediately stalls replication fork progression in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. In response to this replication blockade, the DNA damage response (DDR) cell signalling network is activated, with checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) activation indicating prolonged replication-associated DNA damage, and cell proliferation is inhibited by G1-S cell-cycle arrest. Co-incubation with a Chk1 inhibitor achieves synergistic apoptosis in cancer cells, with a significant increase in phospho(Ser139) histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) levels and foci indicating increased conversion of stalled replication forks to double-strand breaks (DSBs). Normal human epithelial cells remain unaffected by this concurrent treatment. Furthermore, pre-treatment of HeLa cells with [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)](2+) before external beam ionising radiation results in a supra-additive decrease in cell survival accompanied by increased γ-H2AX expression, indicating the compound functions as a radiosensitizer. Together, these results indicate ruthenium-based intercalation can block replication fork progression and demonstrate how these DNA-binding agents may be combined with DDR inhibitors or ionising radiation to achieve more efficient cancer cell killing. Show less

Four new ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes [Ru(dmb)2(DQTT)](ClO4)2 (1) (DQTT=12-(1,4-dihydroquinoxalin-6-yl)-4,5,9,14-tetraazabenzo[b]triphenylene, dmb=4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine), [Ru(bpy)2(DQTT)](ClO4)2 (2) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine), [Ru(phen)2(DQTT)](ClO4)2 (3) (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) and [Ru(dmp)2(DQTT)](ClO4)2 (4) (dmp=2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR. The cytotoxic activity in vitro of the complexes was evaluated against human BEL-7402, A549, HeLa, HepG-2 and MG-63 cancer cell lines by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) method. The IC50 values of complexes 1-4 against BEL-7402 cells are 31.8 ± 1.0, 35.8 ± 1.6, 29.0 ± 0.8 and 25.0 ± 0.9 μM, respectively. The morphological apoptosis was investigated with AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) and Hoechst 33258 staining methods. The DNA damage was assayed by comet assay. The inhibition of cell migration was evaluated by the wound healing assay. The levels of ROS (reactive oxygen species) and the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were studied under fluorescent microscope. The percentages in the cells of apoptotic and necrotic cells and the cell cycle arrest were determined by flow cytometry. The expression of Bcl-2 family proteins was investigated by western blot analysis. The results show that the complexes induce BEL-7402 cells apoptosis through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction pathway, which was accompanied by regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins. Show less

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major impediment to the success of chemotherapy in many cancer types. One particular MDR mechanism is the inherent or acquired adaptation of the cellular survival pathways that render malignant cells resistant to apoptotic cell death. Since most drugs act through apoptosis, compounds capable of inducing alternative forms of programmed cell death (PCD) can potentially be harnessed to bypass MDR. We investigated two organoruthenium complexes, RAS-1H and RAS-1T, and demonstrated that although they both induced non-apoptotic PCD through ER stress pathways, their modes-of-action were drastically different despite modest structural variations. RAS-1T acted through ROS-mediated ER stress while RAS-1H was ROS-independent. We further showed that they were more efficacious against apoptosis-resistant cells compared to clinical drugs including oxaliplatin. This work provides the basis for underpinning ER stress modulation using metal complexes to bypass apoptosis resistance. Show less

A new Ru(II) complex [Ru(dmp)2(NMIP)](ClO4)2 (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, NMIP = 2'-(2″-nitro-3″,4″-methylenedioxyphenyl)imidazo[4',5'-f][1,10]-phenanthroline) was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS and (1)H NMR. The cytotoxic activity of the complex against MG-63, U2OS, HOS, and MC3T3-e1 cell lines was investigated by MTT method. The complex shows moderate cytotoxicity toward HOS (IC50 = 35.6 ± 2.6 µM) and MC3T3-e1 (IC50 = 41.6 ± 2.8 µM) cell lines. The morphological studies show that the complex can induce apoptosis in HOS cells and cause an increase of reactive oxygen species levels and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. The cell cycle distribution demonstrates that the complex inhibits the cell growth at S phase. Additionally, the antitumor activity in vivo reveals that the complex can induce a decrease in tumor weight. Show less

The limitations of platinum complexes in cancer treatment have motivated the extensive investigation into other metal complexes such as ruthenium. We herein present the synthesis and characterization of a new family of ruthenium compounds 1a-5a with the general formula [Ru(bipy)₂L][CF₃SO₃]₂ (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine; L = bidentate ligand: N,N; N,P; P,P; P,As) which have been characterized by elemental analysis, ES-MS, ¹H and ³¹P-{¹H} NMR, FTIR and conductivity measurements. The molecular structures of four Ru(ii) complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All compounds displayed moderate cytotoxic activity in vitro against human A2780 ovarian, MCF7 breast and HCT116 colorectal tumor cells. Compound 5a was the most cytotoxic compound against A2780 and MCF7 tumor cells with an IC₅₀ of 4.75 ± 2.82 μM and 20.02 ± 1.46 μM, respectively. The compounds showed no cytotoxic effect on normal human primary fibroblasts but rather considerable selectivity for A2780, MCF7 and HCT116 tumor cells. All compounds induce apoptosis and autophagy in A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells and some nuclear DNA fragmentation. All compounds interact with CT-DNA with intrinsic binding constants in the order 1a > 4a > 2a > 3a > 5a. The observed hyperchromic effect may be due to the electrostatic interaction between positively charged cations and the negatively charged phosphate backbone at the periphery of the double helix-CT-DNA. Interestingly, compound 1a shows a concentration dependent DNA double strand cleavage. In addition in vivo toxicity has been evaluated on zebrafish embryos unveiling the differential toxicity between the compounds, with LC₅₀ ranging from 8.67 mg L^-1 for compound 1a to 170.30 mg L^-1 for compound 2a. Show less

In the present study, it was found that the ruthenium (II) imidazole complex [Ru(Im)4(dppz)]2+ (Ru1) could induce significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Apart from the induction of apoptosis, it was reported for the first time that Ru1 induced an autophagic response in A549 and NCI-H460 cells as evidenced by the formation of autophagosomes, acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs), and the up-regulation of LC3-II. Furthermore, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by antioxidant NAC or Tiron inhibited the release of cytochrome c, caspase-3 activity, and eventually rescued cancer cells from Ru1-mediated apoptosis, suggesting that Ru1 inducing apoptosis was partially caspase 3-dependent by triggering ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Further study indicated that the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway was involved in Ru1-induced autophagy in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Moreover, blocking autophagy using pharmacological inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine (CQ) enhanced Ru1-induced apoptosis, indicating the cytoprotective role of autophagy in Ru1-treated A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Finally, the in vivo mice bearing A549 xenografts, Ru1 dosed at 10 or 20 mg/kg significantly inhibited tumor growth. Show less

The first examples of Ru^II and Rh^III piano-stool complex histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are presented. The novel complexes have antiproliferative activity against H460 non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells that is comparable to the clinically used HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA). Strong evidence for HDAC inhibition as a primary mechanism of action is provided. The complexes reported here represent an important step towards the design of highly active and selective HDAC inhibitors. Show less

A new mononuclear rhodium(III) complex, [Rh(bzimpy)Cl₃] (bzimpy = 2,6-bis(2-benzimidazolyl)pyridine), was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. The molecular structure of the complex was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The interaction of the complex with fish sperm DNA (FS-DNA) was investigated by UV spectroscopy, emission titration, and viscosity measurement in order to evaluate the possible DNA-binding mode and to calculate the corresponding DNA-binding constant. The results reveal that the Rh(III) complex interacts with DNA through groove binding mode with a binding affinity on the order of 10⁴. In addition, the binding of the Rh(III) complex to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was monitored by UV-Vis and fluorescence emission spectroscopy at different temperatures. The mechanism of the complex interaction was found to be static quenching. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG) obtained from the fluorescence spectroscopy data show that van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds play a major role in the binding of the Rh(III) complex to BSA. For the comparison of the DNA- and BSA-binding affinities of the free bzimpy ligand with its Rh(III) complex, the absorbance titration and fluorescence quenching experiments of the free bzimpy ligand with DNA and BSA were carried out. Competitive experiments using eosin Y and ibuprofen as site markers indicated that the complex was mainly located in the hydrophobic cavity of site I of the protein. These experimental results were confirmed by the results of molecular docking. Finally, the in vitro cytotoxicity properties of the Rh(III) complex against the MCF-7, K562, and HT-29 cell lines were evaluated and compared with those of the free ligand (bzimpy). It was found that the complexation process improved the anticancer activity significantly. Show less

Elucidation of relationship among chemical structure, cellular uptake, localization, and biological activity of anticancer metal complexes is important for the understanding of their mechanisms of action. Organometallic rhenium(I) tricarbonyl compounds have emerged as potential multifunctional anticancer drug candidates that can integrate therapeutic and imaging capabilities in a single molecule. Herein, two mononuclear phosphorescent rhenium(I) complexes (Re1 and Re2), along with their corresponding dinuclear complexes (Re3 and Re4), were designed and synthesized as potent anticancer agents. The subcellular accumulation of Re1-Re4 was conveniently analyzed by confocal microscopy in situ in live cells by utilizing their intrinsic phosphorescence. We found that increased lipophilicity of the bidentate ligands could enhance their cellular uptake, leading to improved anticancer efficacy. The dinuclear complexes were more potent than the mononuclear counterparts. The molecular anticancer mechanisms of action evoked by Re3 and Re4 were explored in detail. Re3 with a lower lipophilicity localizes to lysosomes and induces caspase-independent apoptosis, whereas Re4 with higher lipophilicity specially accumulates in mitochondria and induces caspase-independent paraptosis in cancer cells. Our study demonstrates that subcellular localization is crucial for the anticancer mechanisms of these phosphorescent rhenium(I) complexes. Show less

Ruthenium(III) complexes are promising candidates for anticancer drugs, especially the clinically studied indazolium trans-[tetrachlorobis(1H-indazole)ruthenate(III)] (KP1019) and its analogue sodium trans-[tetrachlorobis(1H-indazole)ruthenate(III)] (NKP-1339). Several studies have emphasized the likely role of human serum proteins in the transportation and accumulation of ruthenium(III) complexes in tumors. Therefore, the interaction between KP1019 and human serum albumin was investigated by means of X-ray crystallography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The structural data unambiguously reveal the binding of two ruthenium atoms to histidine residues 146 and 242, which are both located within well-known hydrophobic binding pockets of albumin. The ruthenium centers are octahedrally coordinated by solvent molecules revealing the dissociation of both indazole ligands from the ruthenium-based drug. However, a binding mechanism is proposed indicating the importance of the indazole ligands for binding site recognition and thus their indispensable role for the binding of KP1019. Show less

Herein we synthesized two new ruthenium(II) compounds [Ru(pySH)(bipy)(dppb)]PF6 (1) and [Ru(HSpym)(bipy)(dppb)]PF6 (2) that are analogs to an antitumor agent recently described, [Ru(SpymMe2)(bipy)(dppb)]PF6 (3), where [(Spy) = 2-mercaptopyridine anion; (Spym) = 2-mercaptopyrimidine anion and (SpymMe2) = 4,6-dimethyl-2-mercaptopyrimidine anion]. In vitro cell culture experiments revealed significant anti-proliferative activity for 1-3 against HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 tumor cells, higher than the standard anti-cancer drugs doxorubicin and cisplatin. No mutagenicity is detected when compounds are evaluated by cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus cytome and Ames test in the presence and absence of S9 metabolic activation from rat liver. Interaction studies show that compounds 1-3 can bind to DNA through electrostatic interactions and to albumin through hydrophobic interactions. The three compounds are able to inhibit the DNA supercoiled relaxation mediated by human topoisomerase IB (Top1). Compound 3 is the most efficient Top1 inhibitor and the inhibitory effect is enhanced upon pre-incubation with the enzyme. Analysis of different steps of Top1 catalytic cycle indicates that 3 inhibits the cleavage reaction impeding the binding of the enzyme to DNA and slows down the religation reaction. Molecular docking shows that 3 preferentially binds closer to the residues of the active site when Top1 is free and lies on the DNA groove downstream of the cleavage site in the Top1-DNA complex. Thus, 3 can be considered in further studies for a possible use as an anticancer agent. Show less