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D'Amato A, Iacopetta D, Ceramella J, Troiano R, Mariconda A, Catalano A, Marra M, Saturnino C, Rosano C, Sinicropi MS, Longo P. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of multitarget hybrid molecules containing NHC-Au(I) complexes and carbazole moieties. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116757. [PMID: 39142149 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) represent suitable ligands for rapid and efficient drug design, because they offer the advantage of being easily chemically modified and can bind several substituents, including transition metals as, for instance, gold derivatives. Gold-NHC complexes possess various biological activities and were demonstrated good candidates as anticancer drugs. Besides, carbazole derivatives are characterized by various pharmacological properties, such as anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-psychotropic. Amongst the latter, N-thioalkyl carbazoles were proved to inhibit cancer cells damaging the nuclear DNA, through the inhibition of human topoisomerases. Herein, we report the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of nine new hybrid molecules in which NHC-Au(I) complexes and N-alkylthiolated carbazoles are linked together, in order to obtain novel biological multitarget agents. We demonstrated that the lead hybrid complexes possess anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, with a high potential as useful tools for treating distinct aspects of several diseases, amongst them cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- A D'Amato
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - D Iacopetta
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, I-87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - J Ceramella
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, I-87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - R Troiano
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - A Mariconda
- Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, I-85100, Potenza, Italy.
| | - A Catalano
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via Orabona 4, 70126, Bari, Italy.
| | - M Marra
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, I-87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - C Saturnino
- Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, I-85100, Potenza, Italy
| | - C Rosano
- U.O. Proteomica e Spettrometria di Massa, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo R. Benzi 10, 16132, Genova, Italy
| | - M S Sinicropi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, I-87036, Arcavacata di Rende, CS, Italy
| | - P Longo
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
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Mariconda A, Iacopetta D, Sirignano M, Ceramella J, D'Amato A, Marra M, Pellegrino M, Sinicropi MS, Aquaro S, Longo P. Silver and Gold Complexes with NHC-Ligands Derived from Caffeine: Catalytic and Pharmacological Activity. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2599. [PMID: 38473851 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) silver(I) and gold(I) complexes have found different applications in various research fields, as in medicinal chemistry for their antiproliferative, anticancer, and antibacterial activity, and in chemistry as innovative and effective catalysts. The possibility of modulating the physicochemical properties, by acting on their ligands and substituents, makes them versatile tools for the development of novel metal-based compounds, mostly as anticancer compounds. As it is known, chemotherapy is commonly adopted for the clinical treatment of different cancers, even though its efficacy is hampered by several factors. Thus, the development of more effective and less toxic drugs is still an urgent need. Herein, we reported the synthesis and characterization of new silver(I) and gold(I) complexes stabilized by caffeine-derived NHC ligands, together with their biological and catalytic activities. Our data highlight the interesting properties of this series as effective catalysts in A3-coupling and hydroamination reactions and as promising anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant agents. The ability of these complexes in regulating different pathological aspects, and often co-promoting causes, of cancer makes them ideal leads to be further structurally functionalized and investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaluisa Mariconda
- Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Domenico Iacopetta
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Marco Sirignano
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Jessica Ceramella
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Assunta D'Amato
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Maria Marra
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Michele Pellegrino
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Maria Stefania Sinicropi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Stefano Aquaro
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Pasquale Longo
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
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D’Amato A, Mariconda A, Iacopetta D, Ceramella J, Catalano A, Sinicropi MS, Longo P. Complexes of Ruthenium(II) as Promising Dual-Active Agents against Cancer and Viral Infections. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1729. [PMID: 38139855 PMCID: PMC10747139 DOI: 10.3390/ph16121729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Poor responses to medical care and the failure of pharmacological treatment for many high-frequency diseases, such as cancer and viral infections, have been widely documented. In this context, numerous metal-based substances, including cisplatin, auranofin, various gold metallodrugs, and ruthenium complexes, are under study as possible anticancer and antiviral agents. The two Ru(III) and Ru(II) complexes, namely, BOLD-100 and RAPTA-C, are presently being studied in a clinical trial and preclinical studies evaluation, respectively, as anticancer agents. Interestingly, BOLD-100 has also recently demonstrated antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last years, much effort has been dedicated to discovering new dual anticancer-antiviral agents. Ru-based complexes could be very suitable in this respect. Thus, this review focuses on the most recent studies regarding newly synthesized Ru(II) complexes for use as anticancer and/or antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assunta D’Amato
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy; (A.D.); (P.L.)
| | | | - Domenico Iacopetta
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (D.I.); (J.C.); (M.S.S.)
| | - Jessica Ceramella
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (D.I.); (J.C.); (M.S.S.)
| | - Alessia Catalano
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Stefania Sinicropi
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy; (D.I.); (J.C.); (M.S.S.)
| | - Pasquale Longo
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy; (A.D.); (P.L.)
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Pilon A, Avecilla F, Rácz B, Gátszegi GT, Spengler G, Robalo MP, Enyedy ÉA, Garcia MH, Valente A. Iron(II)-cyclopentadienyl compounds are cytotoxic against colon adenocarcinoma cell lines: Ethylenebis(diphenylphosphane) vs. triphenylphosphane. J Inorg Biochem 2023; 249:112386. [PMID: 37827090 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112386] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Structure-activity studies aiming to understand the role of each coligand in the formulation of new metallodrugs is an important subject. In that frame, six new compounds with general formula [Fe(η5-C5H5)(dppe)(L)][CF3SO3] with L = benzonitriles (1-4) or carbon monoxide (5) and compound [Fe(η5-C5H5)(CO)(PPh3)2][CF3SO3] (6) were synthesized and compared with three other previously reported compounds [Fe(η5-C5H5)(CO)(L)(PPh3)][CF3SO3]. We were particularly interested in assessing the effect of dppe vs. (PPh3 + CO) for this set of compounds. For that, all compounds were tested against two human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines, Colo205 and the refractile Colo320 (expressing ABCB1, an efflux pump causing multidrug resistance), showing IC50 values in the micromolar range. The presence of dppe in the compound's coordination sphere over (PPh3 + CO) allows for more redox stable compounds showing higher cytotoxicity and selectivity, with improved cytotoxicity towards resistant cells that is not related to the inhibition of ABCB1. Further studies with GSH and H2O2 for selected compounds indicated that their antioxidant ability is not probably the main responsible for their cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adhan Pilon
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Fernando Avecilla
- Universidade da Coruña, Grupo NanoToxGen, Centro Interdisciplinar de Química y Biología (CICA), Departamento de Química, Facultade de Ciencias, Campus de A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
| | - Bálint Rácz
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Semmelweis utca 6, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gerda T Gátszegi
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Semmelweis utca 6, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary; MTA-SZTE Lendület Functional Metal Complexes Research Group, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 7, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Spengler
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Semmelweis utca 6, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - M Paula Robalo
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Av. Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1, 1959-007 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Éva A Enyedy
- MTA-SZTE Lendület Functional Metal Complexes Research Group, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 7, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - M Helena Garcia
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreia Valente
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences and Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
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