Bioactive Bismuth Compounds: Is Their Toxicity a Barrier to Therapeutic Use?

Bismuth compounds are considered relatively non-toxic, with their low solubility in aqueous solutions (e.g., biological fluids) being the major contributing factor to this property. Bismuth derivatives are widely used for the treatment of peptic ulcers, functional dyspepsia, and chronic gastritis. Moreover, the properties of bismuth compounds have also been extensively explored in two main fields of action: antimicrobial and anticancer. Despite the clinical interest of bismuth-based drugs, several side effects have also been reported. In fact, excessive acute ingestion of bismuth, or abuse for an extended period of time, can lead to toxicity. However, evidence has demonstrated that the discontinuation of these compounds usually reverses their toxic effects. Notwithstanding, the continuously growing use of bismuth products suggests that it is indeed part of our environment and our daily lives, which urges a more in-depth review and investigation into its possible undesired activities. Therefore, this review aims to update the pharmaco-toxicological properties of bismuth compounds. A special focus will be given to in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies exploring their toxicity.

Effects of Substitution on Cytotoxicity of Diphenyl Ditelluride in Cultured Vascular Endothelial Cells

Among organic–inorganic hybrid molecules consisting of organic structure(s) and metal(s), only few studies are available on the cytotoxicity of nucleophilic molecules. In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of a nucleophilic organotellurium compound, diphenyl ditelluride (DPDTe), using a cell culture system. DPDTe exhibited strong cytotoxicity against vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts along with high intracellular accumulation but showed no cytotoxicity and had less accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells and renal epithelial cells. The cytotoxicity of DPDTe decreased when intramolecular tellurium atoms were replaced with selenium or sulfur atoms. Electronic state analysis revealed that the electron density between tellurium atoms in DPDTe was much lower than those between selenium atoms of diphenyl diselenide and sulfur atoms of diphenyl disulfide. Moreover, diphenyl telluride did not accumulate and exhibit cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity of DPDTe was also affected by substitution. p-Dimethoxy-DPDTe showed higher cytotoxicity, but p-dichloro-DPDTe and p-methyl-DPDTe showed lower cytotoxicity than that of DPDTe. The subcellular distribution of the compounds revealed that the compounds with stronger cytotoxicity showed higher accumulation rates in the mitochondria. Our findings suggest that the electronic state of tellurium atoms in DPDTe play an important role in accumulation and distribution of DPDTe in cultured cells. The present study supports the hypothesis that nucleophilic organometallic compounds, as well as electrophilic organometallic compounds, exhibit cytotoxicity by particular mechanisms.

Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Optical Properties of Benzene-Fused Tetracyclic and Pentacyclic Stiboles

The expectation that antimony (Sb) compounds should display phosphorescence emissions based on the “heavy element effect” prompted our interest in the introduction of antimony to a biaryl as the bridging atom in a fused heterole system. Herein, the synthesis, molecular structures, and optical properties of novel benzene-fused heteroacenes containing antimony or arsenic atoms are described. The stiboles and arsole were prepared by the condensation of dibromo(phenyl)stibane or dichloro(phenyl)arsine with dilithium intermediates derived from the corresponding dibromo compounds. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystal analysis revealed that the linear pentacyclic stibole was highly symmetric in both the solution and crystal states. In contrast, the curved pentacyclic stibole adopted a helical structure in solution, and surprisingly, only M helical molecules were crystallized from the racemate. All synthesized compounds produced very weak or no emissions at room temperature or in the solid state. In contrast, the linear penta- and tetracyclic stiboles exhibited clear phosphorescence emissions in the CHCl₃ frozen matrix at 77 K under aerobic conditions.

Heterocyclic organobismuth(III) compound induces nonapoptotic cell death via lipid peroxidation

Heterocyclic organobismuth compounds, such as N-tert-butyl-bi-chlorodibenzo[c,f][1,5]azabismocine (compound 1) and bi-chlorodibenzo[c,f ][1,5]thiabismocine (compound 3), exert potent antiproliferative activities in vitro in human cancer cell lines. We showed that compound 3 induced both apoptotic and nonapoptotic cell death via reactive oxygen species production and mitotic arrest in a dose-dependent manner. The mechanisms underlying the dose-dependent effect of these organobismuth compounds were not clear. In the present study, we examined the dose-dependent mechanism underlying cell death induced by compound 1 in a human pancreatic cancer cell line, SUIT-2, and a human colorectal cancer cell line, DLD-1. Compound 1 inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner and induced cell death. Treatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk reduced cell death induced by compound 1, whereas the inhibitory effect of zVAD-fmk was limited. Moreover, compound 1 significantly induced lipid peroxidation with concomitant induction of caspase-independent cell death. Our results suggested that eight-membered ring organobismuth compounds induce nonapoptotic cell death via lipid peroxidation.

Heterocyclic organobismuth (III) compounds containing an eight-membered ring: Inhibitory effects on cell cycle progression

We previously showed that heterocyclic organobismuth compounds have excellent antimicrobial and antitumor potential. These compounds structurally consist of either six- or eight-membered rings. Previous research has shown that bi-chlorodibenzo[c,f][1,5]thiabismocine (Compound 3), an eight-membered ring, induced G₂/M arrest via inhibition of tubulin polymerization in HeLa cells. Additionally, N-tert-butyl-bi-chlorodi-benzo[c,f][1,5]azabismocine (Compound 1), another eight-membered ring, exhibited higher cytotoxicity than Compound 3 against several cancer cell lines, including HeLa and K562. Finally, bi-chlorophenothiabismin-S,S-dioxide (Compound 5), a six-membered ring, exhibited lower antitumor activity than eight-membered ring compounds. In this study, we investigated the antimitotic activity of Compounds 1 and 5 in HeLa cells. At low concentrations, (0.1 and 0.25 μM), Compound 1 inhibited cell growth and arrested the cell cycle in mitosis. However, 0.5 μM Compound 1 exhibited no antimitotic activity. Conversely, Compound 5 weakly inhibited cell growth and did not markedly arrest the cell cycle. Flow cytometry showed that Compound 1 arrested the cell cycle at G₂/M, resulting in apoptosis. Compound 1 inhibited tubulin polymerization as revealed by a cell-free assay, and both Compounds 1 and 3 inhibited microtubule spindle formation and chromosome alignment during prometaphase. These results suggest that eight-membered ring-containing organobismuth compounds can induce mitotic arrest by perturbing spindle dynamics.

Microwave-Assisted Debromination of α-Bromoketones with Triarylstibanes in Water

Several α-bromoarylketones were reacted with triarylstibanes under microwave irradiation in water to obtain the corresponding debrominated ketones. Under similar reaction conditions, 1,2-elimination of vic-dibromides in water afforded the corresponding E-olefins. This reaction is the first example of organoantimony compounds utilized for organic transformation in water.

Monoorganoantimony(v) phosphonates and phosphoselininates

Molecular oxo-hydroxo clusters have been synthesized by reactions of arylstibonic acids with organophosphonic acid and phenylseleninic acid. Single crystal X-ray structural elucidation revealed the formation of [(p-i-PrC6H4Sb)4(OH)4(t-BuPO3)6] (1), [(p-t-BuC6H4Sb)4(O)2(PhPO3)4(PhPO3H)4] (2), [(p-i-PrC6H4Sb)4(O)3(OH)(PhSeO2)2(t-BuPO3)4(t-BuPO3H2)2] (3), [(p-MeC6H4Sb)4(O)3(OH)(PhSeO2)2(t-BuPO3)4(t-BuPO3H2)2] (4) and [(p-t-BuC6H4Sb)2(O) (PhSeO2)2(t-BuPO3H)4] (5) respectively. Mass spectral studies reveal that the clusters maintain their structural integrity in solution as well. Solution NMR studies ((1)H, (31)P and (77)Se) show spectral patterns which correlate well with the observed solid state structures of 1-5.

Copper diethyldithiocarbamate as an activator of Nrf2 in cultured vascular endothelial cells

The interest in organic-inorganic hybrid molecules as molecular probes for biological systems has been growing rapidly. Such hybrid molecules exhibit unique biological activities. Herein, copper(II) bis(diethyldithiocarbamate) (Cu10) was found to activate the transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is responsible for regulating antioxidant and phase II xenobiotic enzymes, in vascular endothelial cells. The copper complex rapidly accumulated within cells and induced nuclear translocation of Nrf2, leading to upregulation of the expression of downstream proteins without cytotoxic effects. However, while copper bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dithiocarbamate activated Nrf2, copper ion, diethyldithiocarbamate ligand with or without zinc or iron failed to exhibit this activity. Intracellular accumulation of Cu10 was higher than that of Cu(II) and Cu(I). While the accumulation of copper(II) bis(dimethyldithiocarbamate) was reduced by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of the copper transporter CTR1, the knockdown did not affect Cu10 accumulation, indicating that Cu10 rapidly enters vascular endothelial cells via CTR1-independent mechanisms. In addition, copper and iron complexes with other ligands tested could not activate Nrf2, suggesting that the intramolecular interaction between copper and dithiocarbamate ligand is important for the activation of the transcription factor. Cu10 induced the expression of heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1, and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, downstream proteins of Nrf2. It was suggested that Cu10-induced activation of Nrf2 was due to proteasome inhibition as well as binding to Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1. Since the effects of Cu10 on vascular endothelial cells are unique and diverse, the copper complex may be a good molecular probe to analyze the functions of the cells.

Zinc diethyldithiocarbamate as an inducer of metallothionein in cultured vascular endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial cells are in direct contact with blood. Inorganic zinc is thought to be incapable of inducing metallothionein, which protects cells from heavy metal toxicity and oxidative stress, in vascular endothelial cells. Here, we aimed to further characterize the induction of metallothionein in vascular endothelial cells. Our results confirmed that inorganic zinc could not induce metallothionein in vascular endothelial cells. Moreover, ZnSO4 could not activate both the metal response element (MRE) transcription factor 1 (MTF-1)/MRE and Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathways and was incapable of inducing metallothionein. In addition, bis(L-cysteinato)zincate(II), a zinc complex that activates the MTF-1/MRE pathway, increased MRE promoter activity but failed to induce metallothionein, suggesting that vascular endothelial metallothionein was not induced only by activation of the MTF-1/MRE pathway. Further analysis of a library of zinc complexes showed that zinc(II) bis(diethyldithiocarbamate) activated the MTF-1/MRE pathway but not the Nrf2/ARE pathway, increased MT-1A, MT-1E, and MT-2A mRNA levels, and induced metallothionein proteins. These data indicated that zinc complexes may be excellent tools to analyze metallothionein induction in vascular endothelial cells.

Induction of metallothionein isoforms by copper diethyldithiocarbamate in cultured vascular endothelial cells

Metallothionein (MT) plays a central role in cellular defense against heavy metals and oxidative stress. Since the induction of MT requires the activation of metal response element (MRE)-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1) by binding of zinc ions, inorganic zinc is regarded as a typical MT inducer. However, in a previous report, we showed that inorganic zinc could not induce MT in vascular endothelial cells. While it is suggested that endothelial MT presents mechanisms different from those of other cell types, these remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether the induction of endothelial MT expression involves the Nrf2-ARE pathway using copper(II) bis(diethyldithiocarbamate), termed Cu10, using a culture system of bovine aortic endothelial cells. Cu10 induced MT-1/2 protein expression and increased the expression of mRNAs for MT-1A, MT-1E, and MT-2, MT isoforms expressed in the cells. Cu10 activated not only the MTF-1-MRE, but also the Nrf2-ARE pathway. MTF-1 knockdown resulted in the repression of Cu10-induced MT-1 and -2 expression. Cu10-induced MT-1 expression was down-regulated by Nrf2 knockdown. However, MT-2 expression was not affected by Nrf2 knockdown. These results suggest that the expression of endothelial MT is up-regulated by the Nrf2-ARE pathway as well as by the MTF-1-MRE pathway. Moreover, MT-1 regulation mechanisms differ from that of MT-2. Specifically, the present data support the hypothesis that MT-1 participates in the biological defense system, while MT-2 mainly regulates intracellular zinc metabolism.

The cytotoxicity of organobismuth compounds with certain molecular structures can be diminished by replacing the bismuth atom with an antimony atom in the molecules

Organic-inorganic hybrid molecules, which are composed of an organic structure and metal(s), are indispensable for synthetic chemical reactions; however, their toxicity has been incompletely understood. In the present study, we discovered two cytotoxic organobismuth compounds whose cytotoxicity diminished upon replacement of the intramolecular bismuth atom with an antimony atom. The intracellular accumulation of the organobismuth compounds was much higher than that of the organoantimony compounds with the corresponding organic structures. We also showed that both the organic structure and bismuth atom are required for certain organobismuth compounds to exert their cytotoxic effect, suggesting that the cytotoxicity of such a compound is a result of an interaction between the organic structure and the bismuth atom. The present data suggest that organobismuth compounds with certain molecular structures exhibit cytotoxicity via an interaction between the molecular structure and the bismuth atom, and this cytotoxicity can be diminished by replacing the bismuth atom with an antimony atom, resulting in lower intracellular accumulation.

Activity of antifungal organobismuth(III) compounds derived from alkyl aryl ketones against S. cerevisiae: comparison with a heterocyclic bismuth scaffold consisting of a diphenyl sulfone

A series of hypervalent organobismuth(III) compounds derived from alkyl aryl ketones [XBi(5-R'C₆H₃-2-COR)(Ar)] was synthesized to investigate the effect of the compounds’ structural features on their antifungal activity against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to bismuth heterocycles [XBi(5-RC₆H₃-2-SO₂C₆H₄-1'-)] derived from diphenyl sulfones, a systematic quantitative structure-activity relationship study was possible. The activity depended on the Ar group and increased for heavier X atoms, whereas lengthening the alkyl chain (R) or introducing a substituent (R') reduced the activity. IBi(C₆H₄-2-COCH₃)(4-FC₆H₄) was the most active. Its activity was superior to that of the related acyclic analogues ClBi[C₆H₄-2-CH₂N(CH₃)₂](Ar) and ClBi(C₆H₄-2-SO₂tert-Bu)(Ar) and also comparable to that of heterocyclic ClBi(C₆H₄-2-SO₂C₆H₄-1'-), which was the most active compound in our previous studies. Density function theory calculations suggested that hypervalent bismuthanes undergo nucleophilic addition with a biomolecule at the bismuth atom to give an intermediate ate complex. For higher antifungal activity, adjusting the lipophilicity-hydrophilicity balance, modeling the three-dimensional molecular structure around the bismuth atom, and stabilizing the ate complex appear to be more important than tuning the Lewis acidity at the bismuth atom.

Hexa- and trinuclear organoantimony oxo clusters stabilized by organosilanols

Reactions of Ph2SbCl3 with RSi(OH)3 [where R = tert-Bu, cyclo-C6H11] and Ph2Si(OH)2 in toluene in the presence of triethylamine as a base were performed. Single-crystal X-ray structural elucidation of the products revealed the formation of hexanuclear antimony(V) and mixed-valent antimony (III/V) oxo-hydroxo clusters built up of an incomplete cubane subunit. Interestingly, in all the reactions, at least one Sb-C bond cleavage has been observed, leading to the formation of novel cluster assemblies [(Ph2Sb)4(PhSb)2(C4H9SiO3)2(O)6(OH)2] (1), [(Ph2Sb)4(PhSb)2(C6H11SiO3)2(O)6(OH)2] (2), [(Ph2Sb)(PhSb)2(Ph2SiO2)2(O)3(OH)2](-)Et3NH(+) (3), and [(Ph2Sb)4(Sb)2(Ph2SiO2)2(O)6(OH)2] (4), respectively.