Water-soluble molybdenocene complexes with both proliferative and antiproliferative effects on cancer cell lines and their binding interactions with human serum albumin

Anticancer Tungstenocenes with a Diverse Set of (O,O-), (O,S-) and (O,N-) Chelates-A Detailed Biological Study Using an Improved Evaluation via 3D Spheroid Models

The synthesis, characterization and biological activity of tungstenocenes with varying biologically active (O,O-), (S,O-) and (N,O-) chelates are described. Complexes were characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, elemental analysis, ESI-mass spectrometry, FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The aqueous stability was studied by UV/Vis spectroscopy and the W^IV to W^V process by cyclic voltammetry. The cytotoxicity was determined by the MTT assay in A549, CH1/PA-1 and SW480 cancer cells as well as in IMR-90 human fibroblasts. Extensive biological evaluation was performed in three other human cancer cell lines (HCT116, HT29 and MCF-7) in monolayer and multicellular tumor spheroid cultures to better understand the mode of action. Lead compounds showed promising in vitro anticancer activity in all cancer cell lines. Further studies yielded important insights into apoptosis induction, ROS generation, different patterns in metal distribution (detected by LA-ICP-TOF-MS), changes in KI67 (proliferation marker) expression and DNA interactions. The results based on qualitative and quantitative research designs show that complexes containing (S,O-) chelates are more active than their (O,O-) and (N,O-) counterparts. The most striking results in spheroid models are the high antiproliferative capacity and the different distribution pattern of two complexes differing only in a W-S or W-O bond.

Highly Cytotoxic Molybdenocenes with Strong Metabolic Effects Inhibit Tumour Growth in Mice

A series of six highly lipophilic Cp-substituted molybdenocenes bearing different bioactive chelating ligands was synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. In vitro experiments showed a greatly increased cytotoxic potency when compared to the non-Cp-substituted counterparts. In vivo experiments performed with the dichlorido precursor, (Ph2 C-Cp)2 MoCl2 and the in vitro most active complex, containing the thioflavone ligand, showed an inhibition of tumour growth. Proteomic studies on the same two compounds demonstrated a significant regulation of tubulin-associated and mitochondrial inner membrane proteins for both compounds and a strong metabolic effect of the thioflavone containing complex.

In Vitro Characterization of a Threonine-Ligated Molybdenyl-Sulfide Cluster as a Putative Cyanide Poisoning Antidote; Intracellular Distribution, Effects on Organic Osmolyte Homeostasis, and Induction of Cell Death

Binuclear molybdenum sulfur complexes are effective for the catalytic conversion of cyanide into thiocyanate. The complexes themselves exhibit low toxicity and high aqueous solubility, which render them suitable as antidotes for cyanide poisoning. The binuclear molybdenum sulfur complex [(thr)Mo2O2(μ-S)2(S2)]- (thr - threonine) was subjected to biological studies to evaluate its cellular accumulation and mechanism of action. The cellular uptake and intracellular distribution in human alveolar (A549) cells, quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cell fractionation methods, revealed the presence of the compound in cytosol, nucleus, and mitochondria. The complex exhibited limited binding to DNA, and using the expression of specific protein markers for cell fate indicated no effect on the expression of stress-sensitive channel components involved in cell volume regulation, weak inhibition of cell proliferation, no increase in apoptosis, and even a reduction in autophagy. The complex is anionic, and the sodium complex had higher solubility compared to the potassium. As the molybdenum complex possibly enters the mitochondria, it is considered as a promising remedy to limit mitochondrial cyanide poisoning following, e.g., smoke inhalation injuries.

Interaction of metallocene dichlorides with apo-human transferrin: A spectroscopic study and cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines

Metallocene dichlorides (Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂) are the first class of small and hydrophobic organometallic compounds classified as anticancer agents against numerous cancer cell lines and tumors. In this study, the antiproliferative activities of Cp₂VCl₂,Cp₂NbCl₂, Cp₂HfCl₂ and Cp₂ZrCl₂were assessed on two human cancer cell lines (HT-29 and MCF-7) using MTT assay. Spectroscopic studies were also conducted using these and other known metallocene dichlorides on apo-human transferrin (apo-hTf) at pH 7.4. UV-Vis and CD showed that their interaction with apo-hTf could induce conformational changes of its secondary structure during binding process. In fluorescence, a decrease in intensity of the emission peak was observed when the apo-hTf:Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ complex is being formed, probably due to changes in the microenvironment of its tyrosine and tryptophan residues. Among all metallocene dichlorides studied, Cp₂VCl₂ has the strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of apo-hTf through a static quenching mechanism. The association constants for each protein-compound complex were also determined at different temperatures (296 K, 303 K, 310 K, and 317 K) based on fluorescence quenching results. Positive enthalpy changes (ΔH) and entropy changes (ΔS) as well as negative free energies (ΔG) suggest that hydrophobic interactions are the main intermolecular forces involved in the binding process, probably via an endothermic and spontaneous reaction mechanism. The distance, r, between donor (apo-hTf) and acceptor (Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂) obtained according to Forster's theory of non-radiation energy transfer suggest that the energy transfer from apo-hTf to Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ occurs with high probability and distances obtained by FRET with high accuracy.

Copper-functionalized nanostructured silica-based systems: Study of the antimicrobial applications and ROS generation against gram positive and gram negative bacteria

A series of copper-functionalized SBA-15 (Santa Barbara Amorphous) materials containing the ligands triethoxysilylpropylmaleamic acid (maleamic) or triethoxy-3-(2-imidazolin-1-yl)propylsilane (imidazoline) have been prepared. The nanostructured silica-based systems SBA-maleamic, SBA-imidazoline, SBA-maleamic-Cu and SBA-imidazoline-Cu were characterized by several methods observing that the functionalization took place mainly inside the pores of the mesoporous system. The antimicrobial behaviour of the synthesized materials against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was tested observing a very potent activity of the copper-functionalized systems (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for SBA-maleamic-Cu of ca. 31.25 μg/mL, which correspond with ca. 1.13 μg/mL of Cu). A study of the oxidative stress promoted by the synthesized materials showed that the SBA-maleamic-Cu and the SBA-imidazoline-Cu were able to increase the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in S. aureus by 427% and 373%, respectively, while this increase was slightly lower in E. coli (387 and 324%, respectively). Furthermore, an electrochemical study was carried out in order to determine if these materials interact with lysine or alanine to validate a potential antimicrobial mechanism based on the inhibition of the synthesis of the peptidoglycan of the bacterial wall. Finally, these studies were also performed to determine the potential interaction of the copper-containing materials with glutathione in order to assess if they are able to perturb the metabolism of this tripeptide.

Mesoporous SBA-15 modified with titanocene complexes and ionic liquids: interactions with DNA and other molecules of biological interest studied by solid state electrochemical techniques

The immobilization of two titanocene complexes on SBA-15 has been accomplished following post-synthetic procedures. The ionic liquid, 1-methyl-3-[(triethoxysilyl)propyl]imidazolium chloride, has also been incorporated into the titanium containing materials to determine its influence on the interaction with molecules of biological interest. Cyclic voltammetry has been used to study the influence of the ionic liquid on the mechanism of reduction of titanocene derivatives. The interaction of titanocene and titanocene/ionic liquid-containing mesoporous silica SBA-15 materials, with molecules of biological interest associated with important processes of metallodrug action against cancer cells, has been studied. Thus, we have carried out hydrolysis experiments on the materials functionalized with titanocene derivatives in physiological media to determine their stability and the interaction with serum/transport proteins such as transferrin and BSA and with target molecules such as guanosine, single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA by means of solid state voltammetry techniques. A qualitative analysis of the data based on peak current and reduction potential value changes of the couple Ti(iv)/Ti(iii) in the presence of biomolecules at physiological pH, has revealed that grafted titanocene complexes show higher affinity for serum/transport proteins than for nucleic acids, indicating that the transport steps to the cells may be easier than the subsequent attack on DNA.

A molecular docking study of the interactions between human transferrin and seven metallocene dichlorides

Human Transferrin (hTf) is a metal-binding protein found in blood plasma and is well known for its role in iron delivery. With only a 30% of its capacity for Fe⁺³ binding, this protein has the potential ability to transport other metal ions or organometallic compounds from the blood stream to all cell tissues. In this perspective, recent studies have described seven metallocene dichlorides (Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂, M(IV)=V, Mo, W, Nb, Ti, Zr, Hf) suitable as anticancer drugs and less secondary effects than cisplatin. However, these studies have not provided enough data to clearly explain how hTf binds and transports these organometallic compounds into the cells. Thus, a computational docking study with native apo-hTf using Sybyl-X 2.0 program was conducted to explore the binding modes of these seven Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ after their optimization and minimization using Gaussian 09. Our model showed that the first three Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ (M(IV)=V, Mo, W) can interact with apo-hTf on a common binding site with the amino acid residues Leu-46, Ile-49, Arg-50, Leu-66, Asp-69, Ala-70, Leu-72, Ala-73, Pro-74 and Asn-75, while the next four Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ (M(IV)=Nb, Ti, Zr, Hf) showed different binding sites, unknown until now. A decreasing order in the total score (equal to -log Kd) was observed from these docking studies: W (5.4356), Mo (5.2692), Nb (5.1672), V (4.5973), Ti (3.6529), Zr (2.0054) and Hf (1.8811). High and significant correlation between the affinity of these seven ligands (metallocenes) for apo-hTf and their bond angles CpMCp (r=0.94, p<0.01) and Cl-M-Cl (r=0.95, p<0.01) were observed, thus indicating the important role that these bond angles can play in ligand-protein interactions. Fluorescence spectra of apo-hTf, measured at pH 7.4, had a decrease in the fluorescence emission spectrum with increasing concentration of Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂. Experimental data has a good correlation between K_A (r=0.84, p=0.027) and K_d (r=0.94, p=0.0014) values and the calculated total scores obtained from our docking experiments. In conclusion, these results suggest that the seven Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ used for this study can interact with apo-hTf, and their affinity was directly and inversely proportional to their bond angles CpMCp and ClMCl, respectively. Our docking studies also suggest that the binding of the first three Cp₂M(IV)Cl₂ (M(IV)=V, Mo, W) to hTf could abrogate the formation of the hTf-receptor complex, and as a consequence the metallocene-hTf complex might require another transport mechanism in order to get into the cell.

New tungstenocenes containing 3-hydroxy-4-pyrone ligands: antiproliferative activity on HT-29 and MCF-7 cell lines and binding to human serum albumin studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods

Three new water-soluble tungstenocene derivatives were synthesized and characterized using 3-hydroxy-4-pyrone ligands, which provide aqueous stability to the complexes. The antiproliferative activities of the complexes on HT-29 colon cancer and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and showed the new tungstenocene derivatives have higher antiproliferative action than tungstenocene dichloride (Cp(2)WCl(2), where Cp is cyclopentadienyl). The binding interactions of the tungstenocenes with human serum albumin (HSA) were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods. Analysis of the fluorescence quenching spectra indicates that the tungstenocene complexes bind HSA by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding at fatty acid binding site 6 and drug binding site II. Docking studies provided a description of the hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding by which the tungstenocenes become engaged with HSA. It was determined that the binding affinity of the tungstenoecenes for HSA is in the order Cp(2)WCl(2) < [Cp(2)W(ethyl maltolato)]Cl < [Cp(2)W(maltolato)]Cl < [Cp(2)W(kojato)]Cl, consistent with the hydrophobic interactions and the number of hydrogen bonds involved.

Bioorganometallic Chemistry of Molybdenocene Dichloride and Its Derivatives

The potential application of metallocene complexes into the cancer research was established by the pioneer work of Köpf-Maeir and Köpf in the late 1970s. The combination of organometallic chemistry and biochemistry created a new research area: bioorganometallic chemistry. Bioorganometallic chemistry has developed rapidly in the last thirty years leading to application of organometallic species into diagnostic, sensors, immunoassays and anticancer research among others. This review focuses on the bioorganometallic chemistry of molybdenocene dichloride and its derivatives as metal-based anticancer drugs. The anticancer properties of molybdenocene dichloride and its derivatives are described as well as the mechanism of action, aqueous and coordination chemistry, and molybdenocene-biomolecule interactions.

Host-Guest Interactions between Calixarenes and Cp(2)NbCl(2)

The possible inclusion complexes of Cp(2)NbCl(2) into calixarenes hosts have been investigated. The existence of a true inclusion complex in the solid state was confirmed by a combination of NMR, ab-initio calculations, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR, Raman and PXRD. Ab-initio calculations, (1)H NMR solution and solid state (13)C CP MAS NMR results demonstrated that p-sulfonic calix[6]arene does form an inclusion complex with Cp(2)NbCl(2). Raman spectroscopy showed, for the inclusion compound of p-sulfonic calix[6]arene-Cp(2)NbCl(2), a band between 500-850 cm(-1) characteristic of Nb-O vibration. This result suggests that Nb(V) may engage in coordination with the oxygen of the sulfonate group, as part of the host-guest interaction. However, it is important to mention that the niobocene dichloride (Cp(2)NbCl(2)) dissolves in water and undergoes oxidation and hydrolysis processes to yield Cp(2)NbCl(2)(OH) species. For that reason this band does not exclude that the Nb-O band belongs to Cp(2)NbCl(2)(OH). Solid State (13)C CP MAS NMR and solution (1)H NMR spectroscopies together with ab-initio results showed that Cp(2)NbCl(2) is included in the p-sulfonic calix[6]arene cavity, with both Cp rings inside the cavity. In contrast, the solution (1)H NMR results demonstrated that calix[6]arene does not form inclusion complex with Cp(2)NbCl(2) in CDCl(3) solution. Cp(2)NbCl(2) is not included in the calix[6]arene cavity, possibly due to the lack of sulfonate heads which promote Nb-O interactions and assist the inclusion of Cp(2)NbCl(2) into the cavity.

Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic studies of water soluble [(η-C(5)H(5))(2)Mo(thionucleobase/thionucleoside)]Cl complexes in breast and colon cancer cell lines

Four new water soluble molybdenocene complexes were synthesized in aqueous solution at pH 7.0. The new species, [(η(5)-C(5)H(5))(2)Mo(L)]Cl (L= 6-mercaptopurine, 2-amino-6-mercaptopurine, (-)-2-amino-6-mercaptopurine ribose and 6-mercaptopurine ribose), were characterized by spectroscopic methods. NMR spectroscopic data showed the presence of two coordination isomers, S(6), N(7) and S(6), N(1), in aqueous solution, being S(6), N(7) the most stable. The antiproliferative activities of the new species were investigated in HT-29 colon and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The incorporation of molybdenocene (Cp(2)Mo(2+)) into the thionucleobases/thionucleosides decreases their cytotoxic activities in HT-29 colon cancer cell line. In contrast, in the MCF-7 cell line, [Cp(2)Mo(2-amino-6-mercaptopurine)]Cl showed a high cytotoxic activity. This is most likely a consequence of the enhanced lipophilic character on the thionucleobase combined with synergism between Cp(2)Mo(2+) and the thionucleobase ligand.