Two novel SNS-donor palladium(II) complexes of benzoxazole and benzothiazole derivatives as potential anticancer agents

Two novel mononuclear palladium(II) complexes, [PdL1Cl]Cl (1) and [PdL2Cl]Cl (2) with SNS-donor ligands [where L1 = N-(4-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)phenyl)-2-(bis(2-ethylthioethyl)amino)acetamide, L2 = N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-2-(bis(2-ethylthioethyl)amino)acetamide], were synthesized and characterized. In vitro antiproliferative activity tests showed that the two palladium(II) complexes displayed excellent antiproliferative activity against all tested cancer cell lines, especially human colon cancer HCT-116, human liver cancer HepG-2, and human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Spectacularly, complexes 1 and 2 exhibited approximately 8.49- and 6.88-fold higher antiproliferative activity, as compared with cisplatin, against HCT-116, respectively, but were less toxic to human normal colon fibroblast CCD-18Co cell lines with selectivity index (SI = IC50(CCD-18Co)/IC50(HCT-116)) values of 22.43 and 21.48 for 1 and 2, respectively, compared to that of cisplatin (SI, 1.74). These results suggested that the two palladium complexes have the potential to act as candidates for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The interaction of the complexes with CT-DNA and pUC19 plasmid DNA illustrated that both 1 and 2 could strongly bind to the DNA helix via an intercalative mode and covalent interaction and perturb the tertiary structure of DNA, where the DNA binding affinity of 1 was slightly higher than that of 2. Additionally, investigations of the reaction of the two complexes with 5'-GMP and glutathione (GSH) showed that both 1 and 2 could readily react with 5'-GMP and GSH to form Pd-GMP adducts and Pd-GS adducts, respectively, and when 5'-GMP and GSH coexisted, the coordination binding of the complexes with GSH did not prevent the formation of the Pd-GMP adducts. Moreover, Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that the two palladium(II) complexes arrested HCT-116 cells mainly at the G2/M phase, induced mitochondrial-membrane depolarization, increased ROS generation, and triggered obvious cell apoptosis.

Salicylaldehyde-derived piperazine-functionalized hydrazone ligand-based Pt(II) complexes: inhibition of EZH2-dependent tumorigenesis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, synergism with PARP inhibitors and enhanced apoptosis

Piperazine is an important functional unit of many clinically approved drugs, including chemotherapeutic agents. In the current study, methyl piperazine was incorporated and eight salicylaldehyde-derived piperazine-functionalized hydrazone ONN-donor ligands (L) and their Pt(II) complexes (L-PtCl) were prepared. The structures of all these ligands (L1-L8) and Pt(II) complexes (C1-C8) were determined using 1H and 13C NMR, UV-vis, FT-IR and HR-ESI MS analyses, whereas the structures of C1, C5, C6, C7 and C8 were determined in the solid state using single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Solution state stabilities of C3, C4, C5 and C6 were determined via time-dependent UV-vis spectroscopy. All these complexes (C1-C8) were studied for their anticancer effect in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells, including BxPC3, MIAPaCa-2 and PANC1 cells. C1-C8 displayed a potential cytotoxic effect in all these cancer cells, among which C5, C6 and C8 showed the strongest inhibitory effect in comparison with standard chemotherapeutic agents, including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin (CP), oxaliplatin and doxorubicin (DOX). C5, C6 and C8 suppressed the growth of pancreatic cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, C5, C6 and C8 inhibited clonogenic potential and invasion ability and induced apoptosis in PANC1 cells. Importantly, C5, C6 and C8 synergized the anticancer effect with PARP inhibitors, including olaparib, veliparib and niraparib, in pancreatic cancer cells, thus suggesting an important role of C5, C6 and C8 in induction of apoptosis in combination with PARP inhibitors. C5 combined with PARP inhibitors induced caspase3/7 activity and suppressed ATP production. Mechanistically, C5, C6 and C8 inhibited EZH2 protein expression to suppress EZH2-dependent tumorigenesis. Overall, these results highlighted the importance of these piperazine-functionalized Pt(II) complexes as potential anticancer agents to suppress pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis by targeting the EZH2-dependent pathway.

A novel benzothiazole-based mononuclear platinum(II) complex displaying potent antiproliferative activity in HepG-2 cells via mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis

A novel mononuclear platinum(II) complex, [Pt(L-H)Cl] (1, where L= N-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)phenyl)-2-((2-pyridylmethyl)(2-hydroxyethyl)-amino)acetamide), was obtained by covalently tethering a benzothiazole derivative 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazole to the 2-pyridylmethyl-2-hydroxyethylamine chelating PtII center. In vitro tests indicated that complex 1 displayed excellent antiproliferative activity against the tested cancer cell lines, especially liver cancer HepG-2 and SMMC-7221 cells. Importantly, the complex possessed 4.33-fold higher antiproliferative activity as compared with cisplatin against HepG-2 cells, but was less toxic to the normal cell line L02 with the selectivity index (SI = IC50(L02)/IC50(HepG-2)) value of 8.36 compared to cisplatin (SI, 1.40). The results suggested that 1 might have the potential to act as a candidate for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cellular uptake and distribution studies showed that 1 could effectively pass through the membrane of cells, enter the nuclei and mitochondria, induce the platination of cellular DNA. The interaction of 1 with CT-DNA demonstrated that 1 could effectively bind to DNA in a dual binding mode, i.e., the intercalation of the 2-(4-aminophenyl)benzothiazole unit plus monofunctional platination of the platinum(II) moiety. In addition, Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry analysis illustrated that 1 arrested the cell cycle in HepG-2 cancer cells at G2/M phases, induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization, increased ROS generation, and caused obvious cell apoptosis. Further cellular mechanism studies elucidated that 1 triggered HepG-2 cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial-mediated pathway by upregulating the gene and protein expression levels of Bax, downregulating the gene and protein expression levels of Bcl-2, and activating the caspase cascade.

A novel star-shaped trinuclear platinum(II) complex based on a 1,3,5-triazine core displaying potent antiproliferative activity against TNBC by the mitochondrial injury and DNA damage mechanism

Polynuclear platinum(II) complexes represent a class of great prospective Pt-based antitumor drugs that may expand the antitumor spectrum and overcome the clinical problems of drug resistance and side effects of platinum-based drugs. Herein, a novel star-shaped trinuclear platinum(II) complex [Pt₃(L-3H)Cl₃] (1, L = 2,4,6-tris[(2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine]-1,3,5-triazine) and its monomer [Pt(L'-H)Cl] (2, L' = (2-hydroxybenzyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) were synthesized and characterized. The in vitro antiproliferative activities of complexes 1 and 2 against a panel of human cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer, TNBC), MCF-7 (breast), HepG-2 (liver), and A549 (lung) were investigated. The results revealed that 1 exhibited much higher antiproliferative properties than its monomer 2 against the tested cell lines. Importantly, 1 possessed 3.3-fold higher antiproliferative activity as compared with cisplatin against the TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231. Another TNBC cell line MDA-MB-468 is also sensitive to 1. The results indicated that 1 might have the potential to act as a candidate for the treatment of TNBC. Cellular uptake and distribution studies showed that 1 could pass through the membrane of cells and enter into cells and mainly accumulate in the nuclei and mitochondria. 1 could bind to DNA in a cooperative groove-electrostatic-platinating binding mode and induce stronger DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and damaging effects on MDA-MB-231 than cisplatin (upregulation of γ-H2AX). Moreover, the DNA damage could not be easily repaired (upregulation of p53), which would exert a much positive influence on the overcoming of drug resistance. Additionally, flow cytometry studies showed that 1 arrested the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization, increased ROS generation, and induced cell apoptosis. The results demonstrated that 1 could target simultaneously mitochondria and nuclei that gave rise to mitochondrial injury and DNA damage and ultimately efficiently promote the apoptotic death of tumor cells. Further mechanistic studies showed that 1 induced MDA-MB-231 cell apoptosis via the p53-mediated mitochondrial pathway by upregulating Bax and cytochrome c and downregulating Bcl-2 proteins, leading to the activation of caspase-3 and upregulation of the cleaved-PARP level. Taken together, 1 with such a synergic mechanism has great potential to be an effective anticancer agent that can overcome treatment resistance in TNBC.

Synthesis and characterization of Pt(ii)-based potent anticancer agents with minimum normal cell toxicity: their bio-activity and DNA-binding properties

The Cis-Pt(ii)-dichloro complex and its different intercellular derivates show good DNA-binding, comparable anticancer properties and less normal cell toxicity than cisplatin, and initiates cell death through apoptosis.

Cycloplatinated(ii) complexes bearing 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene ligand: biological evaluation and molecular docking studies

Cycloplatinated(ii) complexes containing dppf ligand were prepared. These complexes exhibited high cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activities to human cancer cell lines.

Synthesis, cytotoxic evaluation and DNA binding study of 9-fluoro-6H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoxaline derivatives

New quaternary ammonium salts of 9-fluoro-6H-indolo[2,3-b] derivatives were synthesized. These compounds possessed enhanced DNA binding ability and improved antitumor activity.