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Galassi R, Sargentoni N, Renzi S, Luciani L, Bartolacci C, Pattabhi P, Andreani C, Pucciarelli S. Anticancer Activity of Imidazolyl Gold(I/III) Compounds in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:1133. [PMID: 39338298 PMCID: PMC11435220 DOI: 10.3390/ph17091133] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide that needs updated therapies to contrast both the serious side effects and the occurrence of drug resistance. A panel of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were herein employed as cancer models. Eight structurally related gold(I) and gold(III) complexes with NHC and halides or triphenylphosphane ligands were investigated as lung cancer cell growth inhibitors. As expected, gold compounds with PPh3 were found to be more cytotoxic than homoleptic [(NHC)2-Au(I)]X or heteroleptic NHC-Au(I)X or NHC-Au(III)X3 complexes. Mixed ligand gold(I) compounds exhibiting the linear NHC-AuPPh3 (compound 7) or the trigonal NHC-Au(Cl)PPh3 (compound 8) arrangements at the central metal were found to be the best lung cancer cytotoxic compounds. Analysis of the TrxR residual activity of the treated cells revealed that these compounds efficiently inhibit the most accredited molecular target for gold compounds, the TrxR, with compound 8 reaching more than 80% activity reduction in lung cells. Some of the current cancer lung therapy protocols consist of specific lung cancer cell cytotoxic agents combined with antifolate drugs; interestingly, the herein gold compounds are both TrxR and antifolate inhibitors. The human DHFR was inhibited with IC50 ranging between 10-21 µM, depending on substrate concentrations, proceeding by a likely allosteric mechanism only for compound 8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossana Galassi
- Chemistry Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, ChIP Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (N.S.); (L.L.)
| | - Nicola Sargentoni
- Chemistry Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, ChIP Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (N.S.); (L.L.)
| | - Sofia Renzi
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Lorenzo Luciani
- Chemistry Division, School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, ChIP Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (N.S.); (L.L.)
| | - Caterina Bartolacci
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA; (C.B.); (P.P.); (C.A.)
| | - Prasad Pattabhi
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA; (C.B.); (P.P.); (C.A.)
| | - Cristina Andreani
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA; (C.B.); (P.P.); (C.A.)
| | - Stefania Pucciarelli
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.R.); (S.P.)
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Luciani L, Galassi R, Wang J, Marchini C, Cogo A, Di Paolo ML, Dalla Via L. Coinage Metal Compounds With 4-Methoxy-Diphenylphosphane Benzoate Ligand Inhibit Female Cancer Cell Growth. Front Chem 2022; 10:924584. [PMID: 35910727 PMCID: PMC9325969 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.924584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the continuous effort to find new metal-based compounds as alternatives to platinum-related anticancer drugs, 11th group metal phosphane compounds have been thoroughly taken into consideration. Tris-arylphosphane metal derivatives have been extensively considered as heteroleptic metal compounds exhibiting remarkable cytotoxic activities. Functional groups in the aryl moieties modulate the activity reinforcing or eliminating it. Previous works have highlighted that the presence of hydrophilic groups in the phosphane ligands, such as COOH or OH, hampers the anticancer activity of gold azolate/PPh3 compounds. To increase the polarity of the triarylphosphane ligand without affecting the activity, we considered the preparation of esters starting from the 4-diphenylphosphane-benzoic acid. The resulting phosphanes are poorer donators than the PPh3, leading to poly-phosphane M(I) compounds, and they exhibit intense emissive properties. A homologous series of L3MX-type compounds (where M = Au and X = Cl, M = Cu and X = BF4, and M = Ag and X = PF6) were obtained with the 4-methoxy-diphenylphosphane benzoate. The homologous metal compounds have been characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods and, remarkably, their formation was associated with high frequencies of 31P NMR chemical shift variations (5–35 ppm in CDCl3). The new complexes and the ligand were evaluated on sensitive and cisplatin-resistant human tumor cell lines. The ligand is ineffective on cells while the complexes exert a notable antiproliferative effect. The homologous series of the L3MX complexes were able to significantly reduce the cell viability of human triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), representing the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer, and of ovarian carcinoma (A2780). Among these coinage metal compounds, L3AgPF6 results the most interesting, showing the lowest GI50 values in all cell lines. Interestingly, this silver complex is more cytotoxic than cisplatin, taken as reference drug. The investigation of the mechanism of action of L3AgPF6 in A2780 cells highlighted the induction of the apoptotic pathway, the depolarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane, and a significant accumulation in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Luciani
- School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Rossana Galassi
- School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
- *Correspondence: Rossana Galassi, ; Lisa Dalla Via,
| | - Junbiao Wang
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Cristina Marchini
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Alessia Cogo
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Luisa Di Paolo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Lisa Dalla Via
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Rossana Galassi, ; Lisa Dalla Via,
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Liang J, Sun D, Yang Y, Li M, Li H, Chen L. Discovery of metal-based complexes as promising antimicrobial agents. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113696. [PMID: 34274828 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an intractable problem for the world. Metal ions are essential for the cell process and biological function in microorganisms. Many metal-based complexes with the potential for releasing ions are more likely to be absorbed for their higher lipid solubility. Hence, this review highlights the clinical potential of organometallic compounds for the treatment of infections caused by bacteria or fungi in recent five years. The common scaffolds, including antimicrobial peptides, N-heterocyclic carbenes, Schiff bases, photosensitive-grand-cycle skeleton structures, aliphatic amines-based ligands, and special metal-based complexes are summarized here. We also discuss their therapeutic targets and the risks that should be paid attention to in the future studies, aiming to provide information for researchers on metal-based complexes as antimicrobial agents and inspire the design and synthesis of new antimicrobial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Dejuan Sun
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yueying Yang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Mingxue Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Hua Li
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Lixia Chen
- Wuya College of Innovation, Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China.
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