1
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Sanz-Villafruela J, Bermejo-Casadesus C, Zafon E, Martínez-Alonso M, Durá G, Heras A, Soriano-Díaz I, Giussani A, Ortí E, Tebar F, Espino G, Massaguer A. Insights into the anticancer photodynamic activity of Ir(III) and Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes bearing β-carboline ligands. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116618. [PMID: 38972079 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Ir(III) and Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes are promising photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) due to their outstanding photophysical properties. Herein, one series of cyclometallated Ir(III) complexes and two series of Ru(II) polypyridyl derivatives bearing three different thiazolyl-β-carboline N^N' ligands have been synthesized, aiming to evaluate the impact of the different metal fragments ([Ir(C^N)2]+ or [Ru(N^N)2]2+) and N^N' ligands on the photophysical and biological properties. All the compounds exhibit remarkable photostability under blue-light irradiation and are emissive (605 < λem < 720 nm), with the Ru(II) derivatives displaying higher photoluminescence quantum yields and longer excited state lifetimes. The Ir PSs display pKa values between 5.9 and 7.9, whereas their Ru counterparts are less acidic (pKa > 9.3). The presence of the deprotonated form in the Ir-PSs favours the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) since, according to theoretical calculations, it features a low-lying ligand-centered triplet excited state (T1 = 3LC) with a long lifetime. All compounds have demonstrated anticancer activity. Ir(III) complexes 1-3 exhibit the highest cytotoxicity in dark conditions, comparable to cisplatin. Their activity is notably enhanced by blue-light irradiation, resulting in nanomolar IC50 values and phototoxicity indexes (PIs) between 70 and 201 in different cancer cell lines. The Ir(III) PSs are also activated by green (with PI between 16 and 19.2) and red light in the case of complex 3 (PI = 8.5). Their antitumor efficacy is confirmed by clonogenic assays and using spheroid models. The Ir(III) complexes rapidly enter cells, accumulating in mitochondria and lysosomes. Upon photoactivation, they generate ROS, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and lysosomal damage and ultimately cell apoptosis. Additionally, they inhibit cancer cell migration, a crucial step in metastasis. In contrast, Ru(II) complex 6 exhibits moderate mitochondrial activity. Overall, Ir(III) complexes 1-3 show potential for selective light-controlled cancer treatment, providing an alternative mechanism to chemotherapy and the ability to inhibit lethal cancer cell dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Sanz-Villafruela
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos S/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain
| | - Cristina Bermejo-Casadesus
- Universitat de Girona, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Maria Aurelia Capmany 40, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Elisenda Zafon
- Universitat de Girona, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Maria Aurelia Capmany 40, 17003, Girona, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Alonso
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos S/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain
| | - Gema Durá
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Orgánica y Bioquímica. Facultad de Químicas, Avda. Camilo J. Cela 10, 13071, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Aranzazu Heras
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos S/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain
| | - Iván Soriano-Díaz
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universidad de Valencia, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Angelo Giussani
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universidad de Valencia, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Enrique Ortí
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universidad de Valencia, Catedrático José Beltrán 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain.
| | - Francesc Tebar
- Departament de Biomedicina, Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Centre de Recerca Biomèdica CELLEX, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Universitat de Barcelona, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Gustavo Espino
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos S/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
| | - Anna Massaguer
- Universitat de Girona, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Maria Aurelia Capmany 40, 17003, Girona, Spain.
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2
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Zhou L, Li J, Chen J, Yao X, Zeng X, Liu Y, Wang Y, Wang X. Anticancer activity and mechanism studies of photoactivated iridium(III) complexes toward lung cancer A549 cells. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:15176-15189. [PMID: 39221457 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01677g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Cyclometalated iridium(III) compounds have been widely explored due to their outstanding photo-physical properties and multiple anticancer activities. In this paper, three cyclometalated iridium(III) compounds [Ir(ppy)2(DBDIP)]PF6 (5a), [Ir(bzq)2(DBDIP)]PF6 (5b), and [Ir(piq)2(DBDIP)]PF6 (5c) (ppy: 2-phenylpyridine; bzq: benzo[h]quinoline; piq: 1-phenylisoquinoline, and DBDIP: 2-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) were synthesized and the mechanism of antitumor activity was investigated. Compounds photoactivated by visible light show strong cytotoxicity against tumor cells, especially toward A549 cells. Biological experiments such as migration, cellular localization, mitochondrial membrane potential and permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium ion level detection were performed, and they demonstrated that the compounds induced the apoptosis of A549 cells through a mitochondrial pathway. At the same time, oxidative stress caused by ROS production increases the release of damage-related molecules and the expression of porogen gasdermin D (GSDMD), and the content of LDH released from damaged cell membranes also increased. Besides, the content of the lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA), increased and the expression of GPX4 decreased. These indicate that the compounds promote cell death by combining ferroptosis and pyroptosis. The results reveal that cyclometalated iridium(III) compounds 5a-5c may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for photodynamic therapy of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Jiongbang Li
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Ju Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Xin Yao
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Xiandong Zeng
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Yunjun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Yi Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Xiuzhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
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3
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Sanz-Villafruela J, Bermejo-Casadesús C, Martínez-Alonso M, Moro A, Lima JC, Massaguer A, Espino G. Towards efficient Ir(III) anticancer photodynamic therapy agents by extending π-conjugation on N^N ligands. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:11393-11409. [PMID: 38899369 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00390j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
In this work we disclose a new family of biscyclometallated Ir(III) complexes of the general formula [Ir(C^N)2(N^N)]Cl (IrL1-IrL5), where HC^N is 1-phenyl-β-carboline and N^N ligands (L1-L5) are different diimine ligands that differ from each other in the number of aromatic rings fused to the bipyridine scaffold. The photophysical properties of IrL1-IrL5 were thoroughly studied, and theoretical calculations were performed for a deeper comprehension of the respective variations along the series. All complexes exhibited high photostability under blue light irradiation. An increase in the number of aromatic rings led to a reduction in the HOMO-LUMO band gap causing a red-shift in the absorbance bands. Although all the complexes generated singlet oxygen (1O2) in aerated aqueous solutions through a photocatalytic process, IrL5 was by far the most efficient photosensitizer. Consequently, IrL5 was highly active in the photocatalytic oxidation of NADH. The formation of aggregates in DMSO at a high concentration (25 mM) was confirmed using different techniques, but was proved to be negligible in the concentration range of biological experiments. Moreover, ICP-MS studies proved that the cellular uptake of IrL2 and IrL3 is much better relative to that of IrL1, IrL4 and IrL5. The antiproliferative activity of IrL1-IrL5 was investigated in the dark and under blue light irradiation against different cancer cell lines. Complexes IrL1-IrL4 were found to be cytotoxic under dark conditions, while IrL5 turned out to be weakly cytotoxic. Despite the low cellular uptake of IrL5, this derivative exhibited a high increase of cytotoxicity upon blue light irradiation resulting in photocytotoxicity indexes (PI) up to 38. IrL1-IrL4 showed lower photocytotoxicity indexes ranging from 1.3 to 17.0. Haemolytic experiments corroborated the compatibility of our complexes with red blood cells. Confocal microscopy studies proved their accumulation in mitochondria, leading to mitochondrial membrane depolarization, and ruled out their localization in lysosomes. Overall, the mitochondria-targeted activity of IrL5, which inhibits considerably the viability of cancer cells upon blue light irradiation, allows us to outline this PS as a new alternative to traditional chemotherapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Sanz-Villafruela
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
| | - Cristina Bermejo-Casadesús
- Universitat de Girona, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Maria Aurelia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Marta Martínez-Alonso
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
| | - Artur Moro
- Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - João C Lima
- Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Anna Massaguer
- Universitat de Girona, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Ciències, Maria Aurelia Capmany 40, 17003 Girona, Spain.
| | - Gustavo Espino
- Universidad de Burgos, Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain.
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Meng T, Shi X, Chen H, Xu Z, Qin W, Wei K, Yang X, Huang J, Liao C. Mitochondrial-targeted cyclometalated Ir(III)-5,7-dibromo/dichloro-2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline complexes and their anticancer efficacy evaluation in Hep-G2 cells. Metallomics 2024; 16:mfae032. [PMID: 38955388 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Both 8-hydroxyquinoline compounds and iridium (Ir) complexes have emerged as potential novel agents for tumor therapy. In this study, we synthesized and characterized two new Ir(III) complexes, [Ir(L1)(bppy)2] (Br-Ir) and [Ir(L2)(bppy)2] (Cl-Ir), with 5,7-dibromo-2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline (HL-1) or 5,7-dichloro-2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline as the primary ligand. Complexes Br-Ir and Cl-Ir successfully inhibited antitumor activity in Hep-G2 cells. In addition, complexes Br-Ir and Cl-Ir were localized in the mitochondrial membrane and caused mitochondrial damage, autophagy, and cellular immunity in Hep-G2 cells. We tested the proteins related to mitochondrial and mitophagy by western blot analysis, which showed that they triggered mitophagy-mediated apoptotic cell death. Remarkably, complex Br-Ir showed high in vivo antitumor activity, and the tumor growth inhibition rate was 63.0% (P < 0.05). In summary, our study on complex Br-Ir revealed promising results in in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Meng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Xiongzhi Shi
- Guangxi Engineering Center in Biomedical Material for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Hongfen Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Zhong Xu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Weirong Qin
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Kehua Wei
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Xin Yang
- Guangxi Engineering Center in Biomedical Material for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Sports Medicine and Adult Reconstructive Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
| | - Chuanan Liao
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules Research and Evaluation, Pharmaceutical College, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning Guangxi, China
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5
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Khan HY, Ansari MF, Tabassum S, Arjmand F. A review on the recent advances of interaction studies of anticancer metal-based drugs with therapeutic targets, DNA and RNAs. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104055. [PMID: 38852835 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Metal-based drugs hold promise as potent anticancer agents owing to their unique interactions with cellular targets. This review discusses recent advances in our understanding of the intricate molecular interactions of metal-based anticancer compounds with specific therapeutic targets in cancer cells. Advanced computational and experimental methodologies delineate the binding mechanisms, structural dynamics and functional outcomes of these interactions. In addition, the review sheds light on the precise modes of action of these drugs, their efficacy and the potential avenues for further optimization in cancer-treatment strategies and the development of targeted and effective metal-based therapies for combating various forms of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huzaifa Yasir Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, UP, India
| | | | - Sartaj Tabassum
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, UP, India
| | - Farukh Arjmand
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, UP, India.
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6
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Li P, Guo L, Li J, Yang Z, Fu H, Lai K, Dong H, Fan C, Liu Z. Mitochondria-targeted neutral and cationic iridium(III) anticancer complexes chelating simple hybrid sp 2-N/sp 3-N donor ligands. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:1977-1988. [PMID: 38205595 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt03700b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Most platinum group-based cyclometalated neutral and cationic anticancer complexes with the general formula [(C^N)2Ir(XY)]0/+ (neutral complex: XY = bidentate anionic ligand; cationic complex: XY = bidentate neutral ligand) are notable owing to their intrinsic luminescence properties, good cell permeability, interaction with some biomolecular targets and unique mechanisms of action (MoAs). We herein synthesized a series of neutral and cationic amine-imine cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes using Schiff base ligands with sp2-N/sp3-N N^NH2 chelating donors. The cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes were identified by various techniques. They were stable in aqueous media, displayed moderate fluorescence and exhibited affinity toward bovine serum albumin (BSA). The complexes demonstrated promising cytotoxicity against lung cancer A549 cells, cisplatin-resistant lung cancer A549/DDP cells, cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and human liver carcinoma HepG2 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 9.98 to 19.63 μM. Unfortunately, these complexes had a low selectivity (selectivity index: 1.62-1.98) towards A549 cells and BEAS-2B normal cells. The charge pattern of the metal center (neutral or cationic) and ligand substituents showed little influence on the cytotoxicity and selectivity of these complexes. The study revealed that these complexes could target mitochondria, cause depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, and trigger the production of intracellular ROS. Additionally, the complexes were observed to induce late apoptosis and perturb the cell cycle in the G2/M or S phase in A549 cells. Based on these results, it appears that the anticancer efficacy of these complexes was predominantly attributed to the redox mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Lihua Guo
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Jiaxing Li
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Zhihao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Hanxiu Fu
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Kangning Lai
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Heqian Dong
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Chunyan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
| | - Zhe Liu
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, Institute of Anticancer Agents Development and Theranostic Application, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China.
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7
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Kasparkova J, Hernández-García A, Kostrhunova H, Goicuría M, Novohradsky V, Bautista D, Markova L, Santana MD, Brabec V, Ruiz J. Novel 2-(5-Arylthiophen-2-yl)-benzoazole Cyclometalated Iridium(III) dppz Complexes Exhibit Selective Phototoxicity in Cancer Cells by Lysosomal Damage and Oncosis. J Med Chem 2024; 67:691-708. [PMID: 38141031 PMCID: PMC10788912 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
A second-generation series of biscyclometalated 2-(5-aryl-thienyl)-benzimidazole and -benzothiazole Ir(III) dppz complexes [Ir(C^N)2(dppz)]+, Ir1-Ir4, were rationally designed and synthesized, where the aryl group attached to the thienyl ring was p-CF3C6H4 or p-Me2NC6H4. These new Ir(III) complexes were assessed as photosensitizers to explore the structure-activity correlations for their potential use in biocompatible anticancer photodynamic therapy. When irradiated with blue light, the complexes exhibited high selective potency across several cancer cell lines predisposed to photodynamic therapy; the benzothiazole derivatives (Ir1 and Ir2) were the best performers, Ir2 being also activatable with green or red light. Notably, when irradiated, the complexes induced leakage of lysosomal content into the cytoplasm of HeLa cancer cells and induced oncosis-like cell death. The capability of the new Ir complexes to photoinduce cell death in 3D HeLa spheroids has also been demonstrated. The investigated Ir complexes can also catalytically photo-oxidate NADH and photogenerate 1O2 and/or •OH in cell-free media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kasparkova
- Czech
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - Alba Hernández-García
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Murcia, and Biomedical
Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia E-30100, Spain
| | - Hana Kostrhunova
- Czech
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Goicuría
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Murcia, and Biomedical
Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia E-30100, Spain
| | - Vojtěch Novohradsky
- Czech
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | | | - Lenka Markova
- Czech
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - María Dolores Santana
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Murcia, and Biomedical
Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia E-30100, Spain
| | - Viktor Brabec
- Czech
Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Kralovopolska 135, Brno CZ-61200, Czech Republic
| | - José Ruiz
- Departamento
de Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Murcia, and Biomedical
Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia E-30100, Spain
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8
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Guo L, Li P, Li J, Gong Y, Li X, Liu Y, Yu K, Liu Z. Half-Sandwich Iridium(III), Rhodium(III), and Ruthenium(II) Complexes Chelating Hybrid sp 2-N/sp 3-N Donor Ligands to Achieve Improved Anticancer Selectivity. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:15118-15137. [PMID: 37671819 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The biological efficacy of half-sandwich platinum group organometallic complexes of the formula [(η5-Cpx)/(η6-arene)M(XY)Cl]0/+ (XY = bidentate ligands; Cpx = functionalized cyclopentadienyl; M = Ir, Rh, Ru, Os) has received considerable attention due to the significance of the metal center, chelating ligand, and Cpx/arene moieties in defining their anticancer potency and selectivity. With a facile access to the BIAN-derived imine-amine ligands using alkylaluminum as the reductant, we herein described the preparation and characterization of 16 half-sandwich Ir(III), Rh(III), and Ru(II) complexes chelating the hybrid sp2-N/sp3-N donor ligand. A nonplanar five-member metallacycle was confirmed by X-ray single-crystal structures of Ir1-Ir3, Ir7, Rh1, Ru1, and Ru4. The attempt to prepare imine-amido complexes using a base as the deprotonating agent led to the mixture of imine-amine complexes, within which the leaving group Cl- was displaced, and 16-electron imine-amido complexes without Cl-. The half-sandwich imine-amine complexes in this system underwent rapid hydrolysis in aqueous solution, exhibited weak photoluminescence, and showed the ability of binding to CT-DNA and BSA. The cytotoxicity of all imine-amine complexes against A549 lung cancer cell lines, HeLa cervical cancer cell lines, and 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells was determined by an MTT assay. The IC50 values of these complexes were in a range of 5.71-67.28 μM. Notably, most of these complexes displayed improved selectivity toward A549 cancer cells versus noncancerous BEAS-2B cells in comparison with the corresponding α-diimine complexes chelating the sp2-N/sp2-N donor ligand, which have been shown no selectivity in our previous report. The anticancer selectivity of these complexes appeared to be related to the redox-based mechanism including the catalytic oxidation of NADH to NAD+, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. Further, inducing apoptosis of these complexes in A549 cancer cells and BEAS-2B normal cells also correlated with their anticancer selectivity, indicating the apoptosis mode of cell death in this system. In addition, these complexes could enter A549 cells via energy-dependent pathway and were able to impede the in vitro migration of A549 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Guo
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Pengwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Jiaxing Li
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Yuwen Gong
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Yiming Liu
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Kaijian Yu
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
| | - Zhe Liu
- Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, P. R. China
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9
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Lin Y, Yang B, Huang Y, Zhang Y, Jiang Y, Ma L, Shen YQ. Mitochondrial DNA-targeted therapy: A novel approach to combat cancer. CELL INSIGHT 2023; 2:100113. [PMID: 37554301 PMCID: PMC10404627 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2023.100113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes proteins and RNAs that are essential for mitochondrial function and cellular homeostasis, and participates in important processes of cellular bioenergetics and metabolism. Alterations in mtDNA are associated with various diseases, especially cancers, and are considered as biomarkers for some types of tumors. Moreover, mtDNA alterations have been found to affect the proliferation, progression and metastasis of cancer cells, as well as their interactions with the immune system and the tumor microenvironment (TME). The important role of mtDNA in cancer development makes it a significant target for cancer treatment. In recent years, many novel therapeutic methods targeting mtDNA have emerged. In this study, we first discussed how cancerogenesis is triggered by mtDNA mutations, including alterations in gene copy number, aberrant gene expression and epigenetic modifications. Then, we described in detail the mechanisms underlying the interactions between mtDNA and the extramitochondrial environment, which are crucial for understanding the efficacy and safety of mtDNA-targeted therapy. Next, we provided a comprehensive overview of the recent progress in cancer therapy strategies that target mtDNA. We classified them into two categories based on their mechanisms of action: indirect and direct targeting strategies. Indirect targeting strategies aimed to induce mtDNA damage and dysfunction by modulating pathways that are involved in mtDNA stability and integrity, while direct targeting strategies utilized molecules that can selectively bind to or cleave mtDNA to achieve the therapeutic efficacy. This study highlights the importance of mtDNA-targeted therapy in cancer treatment, and will provide insights for future research and development of targeted drugs and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Bowen Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Yibo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - You Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Yu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Longyun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
| | - Ying-Qiang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Research Unit of Oral Carcinogenesis and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China
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10
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Borah ST, Das B, Biswas P, Mallick AI, Gupta P. Aqua-friendly organometallic Ir-Pt complexes: pH-responsive AIPE-guided imaging of bacterial cells. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:2282-2292. [PMID: 36723088 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt03390a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
In this work, the aggregation-induced photoluminescence emission (AIPE) of three water-soluble heterobimetallic Ir-Pt complexes was reported with insight into their photophysical and electrochemical properties and imaging of bacterial cells. An alkyne appended Schiff's base L, bridges bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) and platinum(II) terpyridine centre. The Schiff's base (N-N fragment) serves as the ancillary ligand to the iridium(III) centre, while the alkynyl end is coordinated to platinum(II). The pH and ionic strength influence the aggregation kinetics of the alkynylplatinum(II) fragment, leading to metal-metal and π-π interactions with the emergence of a triplet metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MMLCT) emission. The excellent reversibility and photostability of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of these aqua-friendly complexes were tested for their ability to sense and selectively image E. coli cells at various pH values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakira Tabassum Borah
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India.
| | - Bishnu Das
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India.
| | - Prakash Biswas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Amirul I Mallick
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Parna Gupta
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India.
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11
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Wang Y, Li Y, Chen J, Liu H, Zhou Y, Huang C, Liang L, Liu Y, Wang X. Anticancer effect evaluation of iridium(III) complexes targeting mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 238:112054. [PMID: 36335745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.112054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Ligand HMSPIP (2-(4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl)-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) and its iridium(III) complexes [Ir(ppy)2(HMSPIP)]PF6 (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, Ir1) and [Ir(bzq)2(HMSPIP)]PF6 (bzq = benzo[h]quinoline, Ir2) were synthesized. The complexes were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and UV/Vis spectra. The cytotoxicity of the complexes toward cancer cells were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method, the scratch wound healing and colony-forming were also investigated. MTT assay certificated that the complexes show high toxic effect on the HeLa cells. The cell cycle assay illustrated that the complexes blocked cell growth at G0/G1 phase in HeLa cells. A series of subsequent experiments showed that the complexes first enter the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and then enter the mitochondria, leading to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, depolarizing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ultimately resulting in apoptosis. In addition, the experimental results revealed that the complexes not only increase the level of ROS but also inhibit the production of GSH and eventually produce large amounts of MDA and further leading to cell death. Taken together, we consider that the complexes can be used as potential candidate drugs for HeLa cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Yizhen Li
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Ju Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Haimei Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Yi Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Chunxia Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Lijuan Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Yunjun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
| | - Xiuzhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
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12
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Li W, Shi C, Wu X, Zhang Y, Liu H, Wang X, Huang C, Liang L, Liu Y. Light activation of iridium(III) complexes driving ROS production and DNA damage enhances anticancer activity in A549 cells. J Inorg Biochem 2022; 236:111977. [PMID: 36030672 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.111977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The work aimed to synthesize and characterize two iridium(III) complexes [Ir(ppy)2(IPPH)](PF6) (Ir1, IPPH = (2S,3R,5S,6R)-2-(2-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydro-2H-pyran-3,4,5-triol, ppy = 2-phenylpyridine), [Ir(piq)2(IPPH)](PF6) (Ir2, piq = 1-phenylisoquinoline). The cytotoxicity of the complexes against BEL-7402, A549, HCT-116, B16 cancer cells and normal LO2 was evaluated through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-biphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. The complexes show no cytotoxic activity (IC50 > 100 μM) against these cancer cells, while their cytotoxicity can significantly be elevated upon illumination. The IC50 values range from 0.2 ± 0.05 to 35.5 ± 3.5 μM. The cellular uptake, endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria localization, reactive oxygen species, the change of mitochondrial membrane potential, γ-H2AX levels, cycle arrest, apoptosis and the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 were investigated. The calreticulin (CRT), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were explored. This study demonstrates that photoactivatable complexes induce cell death in A549 through ROS-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress-mitochondrial pathway, DNA damage pathways, immunogenic cell death (ICD), activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and inhibit the cell growth at S phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlong Li
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Chuanling Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Xiaoyun Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Haimei Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Xiuzhen Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
| | - Chunxia Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Lijuan Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Yunjun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Center of Topical Precise Drug Delivery System, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China.
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