Preclinical anti-cancer activity and multiple mechanisms of action of a cationic silver complex bearing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

Paraptotic Cell Death as an Unprecedented Mode of Action Observed for New Bipyridine-Silver(I) Compounds Bearing Phosphane Coligands

In this work, we investigated the anticancer activity of several novel silver(I) 2,2'-bipyridine complexes containing either triphenylphosphane (PPh3) or 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) ligands. All compounds were characterized by diverse analytical methods including ESI-MS spectrometry; NMR, UV-vis, and FTIR spectroscopies; and elemental analysis. Moreover, several compounds were also studied by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. Subsequently, the compounds were investigated for their anticancer activity against drug-resistant and -sensitive cancer cells. Noteworthily, neither carboplatin and oxaliplatin resistance nor p53 deletion impacted on their anticancer efficacy. MES-OV cells displayed exceptional hypersensitivity to the dppe-containing drugs. This effect was not based on thioredoxin reductase inhibition, enhanced drug uptake, or apoptosis induction. In contrast, dppe silver drugs induced paraptosis, a novel recently described form of programmed cell death. Together with the good tumor specificity of this compound's class, this work suggests that dppe-containing silver complexes could be interesting drug candidates for the treatment of resistant ovarian cancer.

A promising future of metal-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in medicinal chemistry: The emerging bioorganometallic antitumor agents

Metal complexes based on N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have emerged as promising broad-spectrum antitumor agents in bioorganometallic medicinal chemistry. In recent decades, studies on cytotoxic metal-NHC complexes have yielded numerous compounds exhibiting superior cytotoxicity compared to cisplatin. Although the molecular mechanisms of these anticancer complexes are not fully understood, some potential targets and modes of action have been identified. However, a comprehensive review of their biological mechanisms is currently absent. In general, apoptosis caused by metal-NHCs is common in tumor cells. They can cause a series of changes after entering cells, such as mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) variation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cytochrome c (cyt c) release, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, lysosome damage, and caspase activation, ultimately leading to apoptosis. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the influence of metal-NHCs on cancer cell apoptosis is crucial. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent advances in metal-NHC complexes that trigger apoptotic cell death via different apoptosis-related targets or signaling pathways, including B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2 family), p53, cyt c, ER stress, lysosome damage, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) inhibition, and so forth. We also discuss the challenges, limitations, and future directions of metal-NHC complexes to elucidate their emerging application in medicinal chemistry.

Thioredoxin (Trx): A redox target and modulator of cellular senescence and aging-related diseases

Thioredoxin (Trx) is a compact redox-regulatory protein that modulates cellular redox state by reducing oxidized proteins. Trx exhibits dual functionality as an antioxidant and a cofactor for diverse enzymes and transcription factors, thereby exerting influence over their activity and function. Trx has emerged as a pivotal biomarker for various diseases, particularly those associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, and aging. Recent clinical investigations have underscored the significance of Trx in disease diagnosis, treatment, and mechanistic elucidation. Despite its paramount importance, the intricate interplay between Trx and cellular senescence-a condition characterized by irreversible growth arrest induced by multiple aging stimuli-remains inadequately understood. In this review, our objective is to present a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the structure and function of Trx, its involvement in redox signaling pathways and cellular senescence, its association with aging and age-related diseases, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target. Our review aims to elucidate the novel and extensive role of Trx in senescence while highlighting its implications for aging and age-related diseases.

Thioredoxin Reductase and Organometallic Complexes: A Pivotal System to Tackle Multidrug Resistant Tumors?

Cancers classified as multidrug-resistant (MDR) are a family of diseases with poor prognosis despite access to increasingly sophisticated treatments. Several mechanisms explain these resistances involving both tumor cells and their microenvironment. It is now recognized that a multi-targeting approach offers a promising strategy to treat these MDR tumors. Inhibition of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), a key enzyme in maintaining redox balance in cells, is a well-identified target for this approach. Auranofin was the first inorganic gold complex to be described as a powerful inhibitor of TrxR. In this review, we will first recall the main results obtained with this metallodrug. Then, we will focus on organometallic complexes reported as TrxR inhibitors. These include gold(I), gold(III) complexes and metallocifens, i.e., organometallic complexes of Fe and Os derived from tamoxifen. In these families of complexes, similarities and differences in the molecular mechanisms of TrxR inhibition will be highlighted. Finally, the possible relationship between TrxR inhibition and cytotoxicity will be discussed and put into perspective with their mode of action.

Dinuclear silver and gold bisNHC complexes as drug candidates for cancer therapy

We report four dinuclear silver(I) and gold(I) complexes containing two different bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene ligands (bisNHC). One of these complexes 4, shows strong and selective anticancer activity against the human ovarian cancer cell line A2780. Mechanistically, 4 enhances the oxidative stress by stimulating reactive oxygen species production and inhibiting the scavenging activity of thioredoxin reductase. Our findings provide evidence that tuning ligand and electronic properties of metal-NHC complexes can modulate their reactivity and selectivity and it may result in potential novel anticancer drugs.

Chirality influence on the cytotoxic properties of anionic chiral bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)silver complexes

Complexes Na₃[Ag(NHC^R)₂], 2a-e and 2b'-c', where NHC^R is a N-heterocyclic carbene of the 2,2'-(1H-2λ³,3λ⁴-imidazole-1,3-diyl)dicarboxylate type, were prepared by treatment of compounds HL^R, 1a-e and 1b'-c' (2-(1-(carboxyalkyl)-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)carboxylate), with silver oxide in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide. They were characterized by analytical, spectroscopic (infrared, IR, ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR, and circular dichroism) and X-ray methods (2a). In the solid state, the anionic part of complex 2a, [Ag(NHC^H)₂]^3-, shows a linear disposition of C_carbene-Ag-C_carbene atoms and an eclipsed conformation of the two NHC ligands. The proposed bis(NHC) nature of the silver complexes was maintained in solution according to NMR and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 2 was evaluated against four cancer cell lines and one non-cancerous cell line and several structure-activity correlations were found for these complexes. For instance, the activity decreased when the bulkiness of the R alkyl group in Na₃[Ag(NHC^R)₂] increased. More interesting is the detected chirality-anticancer relationship, where complexes Na₃[Ag{(S,S)-NHC^R}₂] (R = Me, 2b; ⁱPr, 2c) showed better anticancer activity than those of their enantiomeric derivatives Na₃[Ag{(R,R)-NHC^R}₂] (R = Me, 2b'; ⁱPr, 2c').

Structures of Silver Fingers and a Pathway to Their Genotoxicity

Recently, we demonstrated that Ag^I can directly replace Zn^II in zinc fingers (ZFs). The cooperative binding of Ag^I to ZFs leads to a thermodynamically irreversible formation of silver clusters destroying the native ZF structure. Thus, a reported loss of biological function of ZF proteins is a likely consequence of such replacement. Here, we report an X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study of Ag_n S_n clusters formed in ZFs to probe their structural features. Selective probing of the local environment around Ag^I by XAS showed the predominance of digonal Ag^I coordination to two sulfur donors, coordinated with an average Ag-S distance at 2.41 Å. No Ag-N bonds were present. A mixed AgS₂ /AgS₃ geometry was found solely in the CCCH Ag^I -ZF. We also show that cooperative replacement of Zn^II ions with the studied Ag₂ S₂ clusters occurred in a three-ZF transcription factor protein 1MEY#, leading to a dissociation of 1MEY# from the complex with its cognate DNA.

Anticancer Properties of Rhenium(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands

A family of eight rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes bearing pyridyl-imidazolylidene or bis-imidazolylidene ligand in combination with a series of N-acetyl amino acids ligands (glycine, isoleucine, proline) and acetate have been synthesised...

Metal- and metalloid-based compounds to target and reverse cancer multidrug resistance

Drug resistance remains the major cause of cancer treatment failure especially at the late stage of the disease. However, based on their versatile chemistry, metal and metalloid compounds offer the possibility to design fine-tuned drugs to circumvent and even specifically target drug-resistant cancer cells. Based on the paramount importance of platinum drugs in the clinics, two main areas of drug resistance reversal strategies exist: overcoming resistance to platinum drugs as well as multidrug resistance based on ABC efflux pumps. The current review provides an overview of both aspects of drug design and discusses the open questions in the field. The areas of drug resistance covered in this article involve: 1) Altered expression of proteins involved in metal uptake, efflux or intracellular distribution, 2) Enhanced drug efflux via ABC transporters, 3) Altered metabolism in drug-resistant cancer cells, 4) Altered thiol or redox homeostasis, 5) Altered DNA damage recognition and enhanced DNA damage repair, 6) Impaired induction of apoptosis and 7) Altered interaction with the immune system. This review represents the first collection of metal (including platinum, ruthenium, iridium, gold, and copper) and metalloid drugs (e.g. arsenic and selenium) which demonstrated drug resistance reversal activity. A special focus is on compounds characterized by collateral sensitivity of ABC transporter-overexpressing cancer cells. Through this approach, we wish to draw the attention to open research questions in the field. Future investigations are warranted to obtain more insights into the mechanisms of action of the most potent compounds which target specific modalities of drug resistance.

Reactivity of antitumor coinage metal-based N-heterocyclic carbene complexes with cysteine and selenocysteine protein sites

The reaction of the antitumor M(I)-bis-N-heterocyclic carbene (M(I)-NHC) complexes, M = Cu, Ag, and Au, with their potential protein binding sites, i.e. cysteine and selenocysteine, was investigated by means of density functional theory approaches. Capped cysteine and selenocysteine were employed to better model the corresponding residues environment within peptide structures. By assuming the neutral or deprotonated form of the side chains of these amino acids and by considering the possible assistance of an external proton donor such as an adjacent acidic residue or the acidic component of the surrounding buffer environment, we devised five possible routes leading to the binding of the investigated M(I)-NHC scaffolds to these protein sites, reflecting their different location in the protein structure and exposure to the bulk. The targeting of either cysteine or selenocysteine in their neutral forms is a kinetically unfavored process, expected to be quite slow if observable at all at physiological temperature. On the other hand, the reaction with the deprotonated forms is much more favored, even though an external proton source is required to assist the protonation of the leaving carbene. Our calculations also show that all coinage metals are characterized by a similar reactivity toward the binding of cysteine and selenocysteine sites, although the Au(I) complex has significantly higher reaction and activation free energies compared to Cu(I) and Ag(I).

Silver(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes challenge cancer; evaluation of their anticancer properties and in silico studies

Because of the continuous need for efficient therapeutic agents against various kinds of cancers and infectious diseases, the pharmaceutical industry has to find new candidates and strategies to develop novel and efficient drugs. They increasingly use computational tools in R&D stages for screening extensive sets of drug candidates before starting pre-clinical and clinical trials. N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) can be evaluated as good drug candidates because they offer both anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory features with their general low-toxicity profiles. To date, different kinds of NHCs (Cu, Co, Ni, Au, Ag, Ru, etc.) have been synthesized and their therapeutic uses has been shown. Here, we have reviewed the recent studies focused on Ag(I)-NHC complexes and their anti-cancer activities. Also, existing examples of the usage of density functional theory and structure-activity relationship have been evaluated.

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Ferrocenyl and Ruthenocenyl Analogues of Etoposide: Discovery of a Novel Dual Inhibitor of Topoisomerase II Activity and Tubulin Polymerization

Two series of the ferrocenyl and ruthenocenyl analogues of etoposide bearing 1,2,3-triazolyl or aminoalkyl linker were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic properties, influence on the cell cycle, ability to induce tubulin polymerization, and inhibition of topoisomerase II activity. We found that the replacement of the etoposide carbohydrate moiety with a metallocenyl group led to organometallic conjugates exhibiting differentiated antiproliferative activity. Biological studies demonstrated that two ferrocenylalkylamino conjugates were notably more active than etoposide, with submicromolar or low-micromolar IC₅₀ values towards SW620, etoposide-resistant SW620E, and methotrexate-resistant SW620M cancer cell lines. Moreover, the simplest ferrocenylmethylamino conjugate exerted dual inhibitory action against tubulin polymerization and topoisomerase II activity while other studied compounds affected only topoisomerase II activity.

A focus on the biological targets for coinage metal-NHCs as potential anticancer complexes

Metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands are the object of increasing attention for therapeutic purposes. Among the different metal centres, interest on Au-based compounds started with the application as anti-arthritis drugs. On the other hand, Ag(I) antimicrobial properties have been known for a long time. For Au(I)/Au(III)-NHC and Ag(I)-NHC anti-tumour and anti-proliferative properties have been quite recently demonstrated. In addition to these and as for Group 11, copper is a much less investigated metal centre, but a few papers underline its pharmacological potential. This review wants to focus on the different biological targets for these metal-based compounds. It is divided into chapters which are respectively devoted on: i) mitochondria and thiol oxidoreductase systems; ii) other relevant enzymes; iii) nucleic acids. Examples of representative coinage NHCs for each of the targets are provided together with significant references on recent advances on the topic. Moreover, a final comment summarises the aspects enlightened by each chapter and provides some hints to better understand the metal-NHCs mechanistic behaviour based on structure-activity relationships.

Silver(I) complexes of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazones and triphenylphosphine: structural, cytotoxicity, and apoptotic studies

Novel silver(i) complexes of the type [AgCl(PPh3)2(L)] {PPh3 = triphenylphosphine; L = VTSC = 3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (1); VMTSC = 3-methoxy-4-[2-(morpholine-1-yl)ethoxy]benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (2); VPTSC = 3-methoxy-4-[2-(piperidine-1-yl)ethoxy]benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3)} were synthesized and fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of complexes 2 and 3 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1-3 exhibited appreciable cytotoxic activity against human tumor cells (lung A549, breast MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) with IC50 values in 48 h of incubation ranging from 5.6 to 18 μM. Cellular uptake studies showed that complexes 1-3 were efficiently internalized after 3 hours of treatment in MDA-MB-231 cells. The effects of complex 1 on the cell morphology, cell cycle, induction of apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production have been evaluated in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells MDA-MB-231. Our results showed that complex 1 induced typical morphological alterations of cell death, an increase in cells at the sub-G1 phase, apoptosis, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Furthermore, DNA binding studies evidenced that 1 can bind to ct-DNA and does so without modifying the B-structure of the DNA, but that the binding is weak compared to that of Hoechst 33258.

On the Different Mode of Action of Au(I)/Ag(I)-NHC Bis-Anthracenyl Complexes Towards Selected Target Biomolecules

Gold and silver N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are emerging for therapeutic applications. Multiple techniques are here used to unveil the mechanistic details of the binding to different biosubstrates of bis(1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-3-ethylimidazol-2-ylidene) silver chloride [Ag(EIA)₂]Cl and bis(1-(anthracen-9-ylmethyl)-3-ethylimidazol-2-ylidene) gold chloride [Au(EIA)₂]Cl. As the biosubstrates, we tested natural double-stranded DNA, synthetic RNA polynucleotides (single-poly(A), double-poly(A)poly(U) and triple-stranded poly(A)2poly(U)), DNA G-quadruplex structures (G4s), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. Absorbance and fluorescence titrations, mass spectrometry together with melting and viscometry tests show significant differences in the binding features between silver and gold compounds. [Au(EIA)₂]Cl covalently binds BSA. It is here evidenced that the selectivity is high: low affinity and external binding for all polynucleotides and G4s are found. Conversely, in the case of [Ag(EIA)₂]Cl, the binding to BSA is weak and relies on electrostatic interactions. [Ag(EIA)₂]Cl strongly/selectively interacts only with double strands by a mechanism where intercalation plays the major role, but groove binding is also operative. The absence of an interaction with triplexes indicates the major role played by the geometrical constraints to drive the binding mode.

Metalo components exhibiting significant anticancer and antibacterial properties: a novel sandwich-type like polymeric structure

Four new dicyanoargentate(I)-based complexes 1-4 were synthesized from certain metal ions with a tetradentate ligand [N, N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) -ethylenediamine; N-bishydeten] and determined by diverse procedures (elemental, thermal, FT-IR, ESI-MS for 1-3 and, magnetic susceptibility and EPR for 1, and 2) including crystal analysis of 4. The crystal method revealed that complex 4 has a sandwich-type like polymeric chemical structure with layers formed by [Cd(N-bishydeten)2]2+ cations and [Ag(CN)2]- anions. The complexes were further characterized by fluorescence and UV spectroscopy to determine their physicochemical features. The complexes displayed a DNA binding activity within the same range as found for cisplatin, in addition to their strong stability in the presence of the physiological buffer system. The complexes were also investigated for pharmacological properties like interaction with DNA/Bovine serum albumin, anticancer and antibacterial activities. Physicochemical studies of DNA with the complexes suggested that the interaction mode between them are possibly both intercalative and groove binding types. These spectroscopic measurements also show that there may be a binding tendency between BSA and the complexes via hydrogen or Van der Waals bonds. The viability tests demonstrated that all the complexes exhibited antibacterial (1-4) and anticancer effects (2-4) toward ten diverse bacterial strains and three tumor cells (HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma, HeLa cervical cancer, and C6 glioma), respectively.

A review on 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane bridged homo- and heterobimetallic complexes for anticancer applications: Synthesis, structure, and cytotoxicity

Herein, we review developments in synthesis, structure, and biological (anti-cancer) activities of 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm) bridged homo- and heterobimetallic systems of the type L_mM(μ₂-dppm)M'L_n (M and M' are transition metals which may be different or the same and L_n,m are co-ligands) since the first such reported bimetallic system in 1987 until the present time (2020). As the simplest diphosphine, dppm enables facile formation of bimetallic complexes, where, given the short spacer between the PPh₂ groups, close spatial proximity of the metal centres is ensured. We concentrate on complexes bearing no M-M interaction and contrast biological activities of these complexes with mononuclear counterparts and positive control agents such as cisplatin, in an attempt to elucidate patterns in the biological activities of these complexes.

Recellularized Colorectal Cancer Patient-derived Scaffolds as in vitro Pre-clinical 3D Model for Drug Screening

Colorectal cancer (CRC) shows highly ineffective therapeutic management. An urgent unmet need is the random assignment to adjuvant chemotherapy of high-risk stage II and stage III CRC patients without any predictive factor of efficacy. In the field of drug discovery, a critical step is the preclinical evaluation of drug cytotoxicity, efficacy, and efficiency. We proposed a patient-derived 3D preclinical model for drug evaluation that could mimic in vitro the patient’s disease. Surgically resected CRC tissue and adjacent healthy colon mucosa were decellularized by a detergent-enzymatic treatment. Scaffolds were recellularized with HT29 and HCT116 cells. Qualitative and quantitative characterization of matched recellularized samples were evaluated through histology, immunofluorescences, scanning electron microscopy, and DNA amount quantification. A chemosensitivity test was performed using an increasing concentration of 5-fluorouracil (5FU). In vivo studies were carried out using zebrafish (Danio rerio) animal model. Permeability test and drug absorption were also determined. The decellularization protocol allowed the preservation of the original structure and ultrastructure. Five days after recellularization with HT29 and HCT116 cell lines, the 3D CRC model exhibited reduced sensitivity to 5FU treatments compared with conventional 2D cultures. Calculated the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) for HT29 treated with 5FU resulted in 11.5 µM in 3D and 1.3 µM in 2D, and for HCT116, 9.87 µM in 3D and 1.7 µM in 2D. In xenograft experiments, HT29 extravasation was detected after 4 days post-injection, and we obtained a 5FU IC₅₀ fully comparable to that observed in the 3D CRC model. Using confocal microscopy, we demonstrated that the drug diffused through the repopulated 3D CRC scaffolds and co-localized with the cell nuclei. The bioengineered CRC 3D model could be a reliable preclinical patient-specific platform to bridge the gap between in vitro and in vivo drug testing assays and provide effective cancer treatment.

Formation of highly stable multinuclear AgnSn clusters in zinc fingers disrupts their structure and function

Silver (Ag(i)) binding to consensus zinc fingers (ZFs) causes Zn(ii) release inducing a gradual disruption of the hydrophobic core, followed by an overall conformational change and formation of highly stable Ag_nS_n clusters. A compact eight-membered Ag₄S₄ structure formed by a CCCC ZF is the first cluster example reported for a single biological molecule. Ag(i)-induced conformational changes of ZFs can, as a consequence, affect transcriptional regulation and other cellular processes.

From coins to cancer therapy: Gold, silver and copper complexes targeting human topoisomerases

Cancer is a complex issue and, even though the prevention basics and therapy have been implemented, it is still the second leading death cause worldwide. With the hope to discover new powerful and safer molecules to fight cancer, many researchers focused their attention on metal-based compounds, starting from the most famous and successfully employed anticancer drug, i.e. cisplatin. The current article aims to report the most recent discoveries about the use of gold, silver and copper complexes as antitumor agents, highlighting their influences on important enzymes, namely human topoisomerases. The latter are fundamental for the cell life and, if overexpressed, strongly implicated in cancer onset and progression. The identification of lead complexes targeting human topoisomerases and gifted with the appropriate chemical and pharmacological properties represents a fecund starting point to obtain new and more effective anticancer molecules.

Recent progress in the development of organometallics for the treatment of cancer

From their early successes in medicine, organometallic compounds continue to attract interest as potential chemotherapeutics to treat a range of diseases. Here, we show from recent literature selected largely from the last two years that organometallics offer unique opportunities in medicine and, increasingly, a mechanistic-based approach is applied to their development, which has not always been the case.

Selective in vitro anti-cancer activity of non-alkylating minor groove binders

Traditional cytotoxic agents which act through a DNA-alkylating mechanism are relatively non-specific, resulting in a small therapeutic window and thus limiting their effectiveness. In this study, we evaluate a panel of 24 non-alkylating Strathclyde Minor Groove Binders (S-MGBs), including 14 novel compounds, for in vitro anti-cancer activity against a human colon carcinoma cell line, a cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer cell line and a cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell line. A human non-cancerous retinal epithelial cell line was used to measure selectivity of any response. We have identified several S-MGBs with activities comparable to cis-platin and carboplatin, but with better in vitro selectivity indices, particularly S-MGB-4, S-MGB-74 and S-MGB-317. Moreover, a comparison of the cis-platin resistant and cis-platin sensitive ovarian cancer cell lines reveals that our S-MGBs do not show cross resistance with cisplatin or carboplatin and that they likely have a different mechanism of action. Finally, we present an initial investigation into the mechanism of action of one compound from this class, S-MGB-4, demonstrating that neither DNA double strand breaks nor the DNA damage stress sensor protein p53 are induced. This indicates that our S-MGBs are unlikely to act through an alkylating or DNA damage response mechanism.

Coumarin-substituted 1,2,4-triazole-derived silver(i) and gold(i) complexes: synthesis, characterization and anticancer studies

A series of coumarin-substituted 1,2,4-triazolium salts and their respective silver– and gold– N-heterocyclic carbene complexes have been reported. The complexes displayed promising anticancer activity with GI₅₀ values of up to 0.354 μM and 8.5983 μM against MCF 7 and HT-29 cell lines, respectively.

Phenoxide chelated Ir(iii) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of their in vitro anticancer activity

Twelve novel half-sandwich IrIII-NHC complexes [(η5-Cpx)Ir(C^O)Cl] were synthesized and characterized. These complexes showed higher cytotoxic activity toward A549 cells and HeLa cells than cisplatin. An increase in the number of contained phenyl groups was related to better anticancer activity. The reaction of complexes with nucleobases 9-MeA, nucleobases 9-EtG, plasmid DNA and CT-DNA showed no significant effects. These complexes captured hydrogen from NADH and converted it to NAD+, which produced the reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS led to a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential and lysosomal damage, finally inducing apoptosis.

Significance of the mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase in cancer cells: An update on role, targets and inhibitors

Thioredoxin reductase 2 (TrxR2) is a key component of the mitochondrial thioredoxin system able to transfer electrons to peroxiredoxin 3 (Prx3) in a reaction mediated by thioredoxin 2 (Trx2). In this way, both the level of hydrogen peroxide and thiol redox state are modulated. TrxR2 is often overexpressed in cancer cells conferring apoptosis resistance. Due to their exposed flexible arm containing selenocysteine, both cytosolic and mitochondrial TrxRs are inhibited by a large number of molecules. The various classes of inhibitors are listed and the molecules acting specifically on TrxR2 are extensively described. Particular emphasis is given to gold(I/III) complexes with phosphine, carbene or other ligands and to tamoxifen-like metallocifens. Also chemically unrelated organic molecules, including natural compounds and their derivatives, are taken into account. An important feature of many TrxR2 inhibitors is provided by their nature of delocalized lipophilic cations that allows their accumulation in mitochondria exploiting the organelle membrane potential. The consequences of TrxR2 inhibition are presented focusing especially on the impact on mitochondrial pathophysiology. Inhibition of TrxR2, by hindering the activity of Trx2 and Prx3, increases the mitochondrial concentration of reactive oxygen species and shifts the thiol redox state toward a more oxidized condition. This is reflected by alterations of specific targets involved in the release of pro-apoptotic factors such as cyclophilin D which acts as a regulator of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Therefore, the selective inhibition of TrxR2 could be utilized to induce cancer cell apoptosis.

Silver carbene complexes: An emerging class of anticancer agents

Cancer is a major global health problem with large therapeutic challenges. Although substantial progress has been made in cancer therapy, there still remains a need to develop novel and effective treatment strategies to treat several relapsed and refractory cancers. Recently, there has been growing demand for considering organometallics as antineoplastic agents. This review is focused on a group of organometallics, silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes (SCCs) and their anticancer efficacy in targeting multiple pathways in various in vitro cancer model systems. However, the precise molecular mechanism of SCCs anticancer properties remains unclear. Here, we discuss the SCCs chemistry, potential molecular targets, possible molecular mechanism of action, and their application in cancer therapies.

[Current trends of the choice and processing of materials for dental implantation]

For assessment of the modern situation about the choice of materials for manufacture of dental implants and the processing of their surface the scientific literature for the last 2 years was study. On the basis of a large number of contradictory results of the researches devoted to each of dental implantation problems it is possible to draw a conclusion that any of primal problems of implantology is finally not solved. There is no unique opinion at the choice of optimum material for manufacture of dental implants, at the way of processing and modification of their surface. The problem of improvement of quality of dental implantation and fight against complications of this procedure cannot be solved simple drawing other substances on the implanted material surface, this task more easily and more successfully is solved via changes of product structure and various modification of implant surface. Up to the present the researches of an opportunity to influence on characteristics of the implanted materials, changing their structure and character of a surface, continue. And the publications reporting about the considerable positive effect of artificially created roughnesses on product surfaces, and the articles claiming that there are no big differences between the rough and polished implants are confirmed by objective measurements with statistical processing of the obtained data. It should be noted that among articles there are very many works of the doubtful plan or with insufficiently valid conclusions. This review leads to the conclusion that further clinical and experimental studies and about the choice of materials for manufacture of implants and at the ways of processing of their surface are necessary.

In vitro biological properties and predicted DNA–BSA interaction of three new dicyanidoargentate(i)-based complexes: synthesis and characterization

The synthesis, characterization and biological activity of three novel dicyanidoargentate(i)-based complexes are reported. The in vitro results show that these complexes may be potent antiproliferative drug candidates.

Polymer encapsulation of anticancer silver–N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Amphiphilic block copolymers have been developed for the encapsulation of organometallic drugs. silver–N-heterocyclic carbene complexes have shown significant promise as anticancer and antibacterial compounds, and have been studied as the payload in these carriers. Simple modification of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand structure enables solubility properties and interaction with the polymer to be tuned.

Amphiphilic block copolymers have been developed for the encapsulation of silver anticancer drugs.

Recent Developments in the Medicinal Applications of Silver-NHC Complexes and Imidazolium Salts

Because of their great structural diversity and multitude of chemical properties, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been utilized in a variety of capacities. Most recently, NHCs have been utilized as carrier molecules for many transition metals in medicinal chemistry. Specifically, Ag(I)-NHCs have been investigated as potent antibacterial agents and chemotherapeutics and have shown great efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Ag(I)-NHC compounds have been shown to be effective against a wide range of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Many compounds have also shown great efficacy as antitumor agents demonstrating comparable or better antitumor activity than standard chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. While these compounds have shown great promise, clinical use has remained an unattained goal. Current research has been focused upon synthesis of novel Ag(I)-NHC compounds and further investigations of their antibacterial and antitumor activity. This review will focus on recent advances of Ag(I)-NHCs in medicinal applications.