‘2+1’ Tricarbonyltechnetium(I) and -rhenium(I) mixed-ligand complexes with N-methylpyridine-2-carboxyamide and isocyanide or imidazole ligands—potential precursors of radiopharmaceuticals

Exploring the In Vivo and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Rhenium Isonitrile Complexes

The established platinum-based drugs form covalent DNA adducts to elicit their cytotoxic response. Although they are widely employed, these agents cause toxic side-effects and are susceptible to cancer-resistance mechanisms. To overcome these limitations, alternative metal complexes containing the rhenium(I) tricarbonyl core have been explored as anticancer agents. Based on a previous study ( Chem. Eur. J. 2019, 25, 9206), a series of highly active tricarbonyl rhenium isonitrile polypyridyl (TRIP) complexes of the general formula fac-[Re(CO)3(NN)(ICN)]+, where NN is a chelating diimine and ICN is an isonitrile ligand, that induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress via activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway are investigated. A total of 11 of these TRIP complexes were synthesized, modifying both the equatorial polypyridyl and axial isonitrile ligands. Complexes with more electron-donating equatorial ligands were found to have greater anticancer activity, whereas the axial ICN ligands had a smaller effect on their overall potency. All 11 TRIP derivatives trigger a similar phenotype that is characterized by their abilities to induce ER stress and activate the UPR. Lastly, we explored the in vivo efficacy of one of the most potent complexes, fac-[Re(CO)3(dmphen)(ptolICN)]+ (TRIP-1a), where dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and ptolICN = para-tolyl isonitrile, in mice. The 99mTc congener of TRIP-1a was synthesized, and its biodistribution in BALB/c mice was investigated in comparison to the parent Re complex. The results illustrate that both complexes have similar biodistribution patterns, suggesting that 99mTc analogues of these TRIP complexes can be used as diagnostic partner agents. The in vivo antitumor activity of TRIP-1a was then investigated in NSG mice bearing A2780 ovarian cancer xenografts. When administered at a dose of 20 mg/kg twice weekly, this complex was able to inhibit tumor growth and prolong mouse survival by 150% compared to the vehicle control cohort.

Toward hypoxia-selective rhenium and technetium tricarbonyl complexes

With the aim of preparing hypoxia-selective imaging and therapeutic agents, technetium(I) and rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes with pyridylhydrazone, dipyridylamine, and pyridylaminocarboxylate ligands containing nitrobenzyl or nitroimidazole functional groups have been prepared. The rhenium tricarbonyl complexes were synthesized with short reaction times using microwave irradiation. Rhenium tricarbonyl complexes with deprotonated p-nitrophenyl pyridylhydrazone ligands are luminescent, and this has been used to track their uptake in HeLa cells using confocal fluorescent microscopy. Selected rhenium tricarbonyl complexes displayed higher uptake in hypoxic cells when compared to normoxic cells. A (99m)Tc tricarbonyl complex with a dipyridylamine ligand bearing a nitroimidazole functional group is stable in human serum and was shown to localize in a human renal cell carcinoma (RCC; SK-RC-52) tumor in a mouse.

Synthesis and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of novel mono- and trivalent technetium-99m labeled ghrelin peptide complexes as potential diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals

INTRODUCTION

Ghrelin is an endogenous hormone present in blood. It is released from the oxyntic cells (X/A-like cells) of the stomach and fundus and can exist in two forms: as an acylated and des-acylated ghrelin. Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone receptor (growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHS-R). Overexpression of GHS-R1a receptor was identified in cells of different types of tumors (e.g. pituitary adenoma, neuroendocrine tumors of the thyroid, lung, breast, gonads, prostate, stomach, colorectal, endocrine and non-endocrine pancreatic tumors). This fact suggests that gamma radionuclide labeled ghrelin peptide may be considered as a potential diagnostic radiopharmaceutical.

METHODS

Ghrelin peptide labeled with mono- and trivalent technetium-99m complexes, (99m)Tc-Lys-GHR, has been prepared on the n.c.a. scale. The physicochemical (stability, charge, shape, lipophilicity) and biological (receptor affinity, biodistribution) properties of the conjugates have been studied relevant to use the conjugates as receptor-based diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals.

RESULTS

The obtained conjugates [(99m)Tc(CO)3LN,O(CN-Lys-GHR)](+), (99m)Tc(CO)3LS,O(CN-Lys-GHR) and (99m)Tc(NS3)(CN-Lys-GHR) show different shape, charge, lipophilicity and two of them, (99m)Tc(CO)3LS,O(CN-Lys-GHR) and (99m)Tc(NS3)(CN-Lys-GHR), high stability in neutral aqueous solutions, even in the presence of excess concentration of histidine/cysteine competitive standard ligands or human serum. The in vitro binding affinity of (99m)Tc-Lys-GHR conjugates with respect to growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a) present on DU-145 cells was in the range of IC50 from 45 to 54 nM. The conjugate (99m)Tc(CO)3LS,O(CN-Lys-GHR) exhibited excretion route by the liver and kidney in comparable degree, while the more lipophilic conjugate (99m)Tc(NS3)(CN-Lys-GHR)-mainly by the liver.

CONCLUSIONS

Basing on the results concerning physicochemical and biochemical properties, the conjugates (99m)Tc(CO)3LS,O(CN-Lys-GHR) and (99m)Tc(NS3)(CN-Lys-GHR) might be considered to be promising models for diagnostic radiopharmaceutical.

Facile solid phase peptide synthesis with a Re-lysine conjugate generated via a one-pot procedure

We have synthesized a Re(CO)3-modified lysine via a one-pot Schiff base formation reaction that can be used in the solid phase peptide synthesis. To demonstrate its potential use, we have attached it to a neurotensin fragment and observed uptake into human umbilical vascular endothelial cells.

Synthesis of C2 -Symmetric Dimeric Re(I) Peptide Complexes

The reactions of [Re(CO)₃(H₂O)₃]Br or Re(CO)₅Cl with two peptides, glycylglycine or glycylalanine, were investigated. Each reaction produced a unique, well-defined product. Structural elucidation showed the formation of chiral compounds with the formula [Re(CO)₃(Gly-Xxx-O)]₂, Xxx = Gly 1, Ala 2. Each dimer displays C₂ -symmetry and a nearly rectangular shape. The ligands are bound via the amine and amide carbonyl at a rhenium center and via the pendant carboxylate to the adjacent rhenium center. Both products are fully characterized, via X-ray structure elucidation.

Re(CO)(3)(H(2)O)(3)(+) binding to lysozyme: structure and reactivity

The reaction of Re(CO)(3)(H(2)O)(3)(+) with hen egg white lysozyme in aqueous solution results in a single covalent adduct. Both NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray diffraction show that the rhenium tricarbonyl cation binds to His15 via replacement of one of the coordinated water molecules. The formation of this adduct does not greatly affect the structure of the protein.