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

Strategies for the design of analogs of auranofin endowed with anticancer potential

INTRODUCTION

Auranofin (AF) is a well-established, FDA-approved, antiarthritic gold drug that is currently being reevaluated for a variety of therapeutic indications through drug repurposing. AF has shown great promise as a potential anticancer agent and has been approved for a few clinical trials in cancer. The renewed interest in AF has led to extensive research into the design, preparation and biological evaluation of auranofin analogs, which may have an even better pharmacological profile than the parent drug.

AREAS COVERED

This article reviews the strategies for chemical modification of the AF scaffold. Several auranofin analogs have been prepared and characterized for medical application in the field of cancer treatment over the last 20 years. Some emerging structure-function relationships are proposed and discussed.

EXPERT OPINION

The chemical modification of the AF scaffold has been the subject of intense activity in recent years and this strategy has led to the preparation and evaluation of several AF analogs. The case of iodauranofin is a particularly promising example. The availability of homogeneous biological data for a group of AF derivatives allows some initial structure-function relationships to be proposed, which may inspire the design and synthesis of new and better AF analogs for cancer treatment.

Exploiting click-chemistry: backbone post-functionalisation of homoleptic gold(I) 1,2,3-triazole-5-ylidene complexes

The synthesis of a homoleptic azide-functionalised Au(I) bis-1,2,3-triazole-5-ylidene complex is reported, starting from a backbone-modified 1,2,3-triazolium salt ligand precursor. The incorporated azide handle allows for a straightforward modification of the complex according to click-chemistry protocols without impacting the steric shielding around the metal center, demonstrating the superiority of the presented triazole ligand framework over imidazole based systems. Employing the SPAAC and the CuAAC reactions, post-modification of the complex is facilitated with two model substrates, while retaining very high antiproliferative activity (nanomolar range IC50 values) in A2780 and MCF-7 human cancer cells.

A new family of luminescent [Pt(pbt)2(C6F5)L]n+ (n = 1, 0) complexes: synthesis, optical and cytotoxic studies

Given the widely recognized bioactivity of 2-arylbenzothiazoles against tumor cells, we have designed a new family of luminescent heteroleptic pentafluorophenyl-bis(2-phenylbenzothiazolyl) PtIV derivatives, fac-[Pt(pbt)2(C6F5)L]n+ (n = 1, 0) [L = 4-Mepy 1, 4-pyridylbenzothiazole (pybt) 2, 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy) 3, 1,2-bis-(4-pyridyl)ethylene (bpe) 4 (E/Z ratio: 90/10), 1,4-bis-(pyridyl)butadiyne (bpyb) 5, trifluoroacetate (-OCOCF3) 6] and a dinuclear complex [{Pt(pbt)2(C6F5)}2(μ-bpyb)](PF6)27, in which the trans ligand to the metalated C-(pbt) was varied to modify the optical properties and lipophilicity. Their photophysical properties were systematically studied through experimental and theoretical investigations, which were strongly dependent on the identity of the N-bonded ligand. Thus, complexes 1, 3 and 6 display, in different media, emission from the triplet excited states of primarily intraligand 3ILCT nature localized on the pbt ligand, while the emissions of 2, 5 and 7 were ascribed to a mixture of close 3IL'(N donor)/3ILCT(pbt) excited states, as supported by lifetime measurements and theoretical calculations. Irradiation of the initial E/Z mixture of 4 (15 min) led to a steady state composed of roughly 1 : 1.15 (E : Z) and this complex was not emissive at room temperature due to an enhanced intramolecular E to Z isomerization process of the 1,2-bis-(4-pyridyl)ethylene ligand. Complexes 1-3 and 6 showed excellent quantum yields for the generation of singlet oxygen in aerated MeCN solution with the values of ϕ(1O2) ranging from 0.66 to 0.86 using phenalenone as a reference. Cationic complexes 1-3 exhibited remarkable efficacy in the nanomolar range against A549 (lung carcinoma) and HeLa (cervix carcinoma) cell lines with notable selectivity relative to the non-tumorigenic BEAS-2B (bronchial epithelium) cells. In the A549 cell line, the neutral complex 6 showed low cytotoxicity (IC50: 29.40 μM) and high photocytotoxicity (IC50: 5.75) when cells were irradiated with blue light for 15 min. These complexes do not show evidence of DNA interaction.

Tumor-Targeting NHC-Au(I) Complex Induces Immunogenic Cell Death in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a promising direction of cancer immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A series of novel NHC-Au(I) complexes derived from 4,5-diarylimidazole, containing glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) as an efficient targeting ligand for HCC, were herein designed and synthesized. Among these, complex 4C exhibited excellent effectiveness for tumor targeting and antitumor activity, which induced the occurrence of ICD in HCC cells. Additionally, 4C can effectively inhibit TrxR enzyme activity, increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) expression, lead to redox homeostasis disorder, mediate mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and cause the characteristic discharge of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in HCC cells. More importantly, 4C showed a great ICD-inducing effect in a vaccination mouse model and activated antitumor immunity in a tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mouse model, which is consistent with the in vitro results. In conclusion, we found the potential of Au(I) complex with HCC-targeted capability for effective tumor immunotherapy.

New Insights into the Behavior of NHC-Gold Complexes in Cancer Cells

Among the non-platinum antitumor agents, gold complexes have received increased attention owing to their strong antiproliferative effects, which generally occur through non-cisplatin-like mechanisms of action. Several studies have revealed that many cytotoxic gold compounds, such as N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-gold(I) complexes, are potent thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) inhibitors. Many other pathways have been supposed to be altered by gold coordination to protein targets. Within this frame, we have selected two gold(I) complexes based on aromatic ligands to be tested on cancer cells. Differently from bis [1,3-diethyl-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]gold(I) bromide (Au4BC), bis [1-methyl-3-acridineimidazolin-2-ylidene]gold(I) tetrafluoroborate (Au3BC) inhibited TrxR1 activity in vitro. Treatment of Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, and MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, with Au4BC inhibited cell viability, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, caused DNA damage, and induced autophagy and apoptosis. Notably, we found that, although Au3BC inhibited TrxR1 activity, no effect on the cell viabilities of HCC and BC cells was observed. At the molecular level, Au3BC induced a protective response mechanism in Huh7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, by inducing up-regulation of RAD51 and p62 protein expression, two proteins involved in DNA damage repair and autophagy, respectively. RAD51 gene knock-down in HCC cells increased cell sensitivity to Au3BC by significant reduction of cell viability, induction of DNA damage, and induction of apoptosis and autophagy. All together, these results suggest that the tested NHC-Gold complexes, Au3BC and Au4BC, showed different mechanisms of action, either dependent or independent of TrxR1 inhibition. As a result, Au3BC and Au4BC were found to be promising candidates as anticancer drugs for the treatment of HCC and BC.

A biophysical study of the interactions of palladium(II), platinum(II) and gold(III) complexes of aminopyridyl-2,2'-bipyridine ligands with RNAs and other nucleic acid structures

Metal compounds form an attractive class of ligands for a variety of nucleic acids. Five metal complexes bearing aminopyridyl-2,2'-bipyridine tetradentate ligands and possessing a quasi-planar geometry were challenged toward different types of nucleic acid molecules including RNA polynucleotides in the duplex or triplex form, an RNA Holliday four-way junction, natural double helix DNA and a DNA G-quadruplex. The binding process was monitored comparatively using different spectroscopic and melting methods. The binding preferences that emerge from our analysis are discussed in relation to the structural features of the metal complexes.

DFT and MD investigations of the biomolecules of phenothiazine derivatives: interactions with gold and water molecules and investigations in search of effective drug for SARS-CoV-2

Theoretical analyses of two phenothiazine derivatives, 10-[3-(dimethylamino)-2-methylpropyl]phenothiazine-2-carbonitrile (CYM) and 2-[4-[3-(2-chlorophenothiazin-10-yl)propyl]piperazin-1-yl]ethanol (PAZ) are reported using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Spectroscopic studies, different electronic and chemical parameters are predicted. Red and yellow in electrostatic potential plot is in rings and oxygen atom in PAZ and C≡N and rings in CYM are sensitive to nucleophilic attacks. The blue in hydrogen atoms refer to electrophilic attack in both PAZ and CYM. Stability of the protein-ligand complex formed with these derivatives and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was investigated using MD simulation. Radius of gyration of C-alpha atom of 6VW1 displayed the conformational convergence toward a compact structure leading to stable 6VW1-ligand complex which are also in agreement with root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) values. Localized area predicts reactive sites for Au and H₂O molecules interaction with these compounds for further practical applications. Charge density is localized on both molecules and also tries to move toward Au-Au dimer and water molecule and such they are expected to contribute to the sensing performance. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Quantitative Analysis of the Interactions of Metal Complexes and Amphiphilic Systems: Calorimetric, Spectroscopic and Theoretical Aspects

Metals and metal-based compounds have many implications in biological systems. They are involved in cellular functions, employed in the formation of metal-based drugs and present as pollutants in aqueous systems, with toxic effects for living organisms. Amphiphilic molecules also play important roles in the above bio-related fields as models of membranes, nanocarriers for drug delivery and bioremediating agents. Despite the interest in complex systems involving both metal species and surfactant aggregates, there is still insufficient knowledge regarding the quantitative aspects at the basis of their binding interactions, which are crucial for extensive comprehension of their behavior in solution. Only a few papers have reported quantitative analyses of the thermodynamic, kinetic, speciation and binding features of metal-based compounds and amphiphilic aggregates, and no literature review has yet addressed the quantitative study of these complexes. Here, we summarize and critically discuss the recent contributions to the quantitative investigation of the interactions of metal-based systems with assemblies made of amphiphilic molecules by calorimetric, spectrophotometric and computational techniques, emphasizing the unique picture and parameters that such an analytical approach may provide, to support a deep understanding and beneficial use of these systems for several applications.

A C∧S-Cyclometallated Gold(III) Complex as a Novel Antibacterial Candidate Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria

The worldwide emergence and spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria endangers the efficacy of current antibiotics in the clinical setting. The lack of new antibiotics in the pipeline points to the need of developing new strategies. Recently, gold-based drugs are being repurposed for antibacterial applications. Among them, gold(III) complexes have received increasing attention as metal-based anticancer agents. However, reports on their antibacterial activity are scarce due to stability issues. The present work demonstrates the antibacterial activity of the gold(III) complex 2 stabilized as C∧S-cycloaurated containing a diphenylphosphinothioic amide moiety, showing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values that ranged from 4 to 8 and from 16 to 32 mg/L among Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, respectively. Complex 2 has a biofilm inhibitory activity of only two to four times than its MIC. We also describe for the first time a potent antibacterial synergistic effect of a gold(III) complex combined with colistin, showing a bactericidal effect in less than 2 h; confirming the role of the outer membrane as a permeability barrier. Complex 2 shows a low rate of internalization in Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii; it does not interact with replication enzymes or efflux pumps, causes ultrastructural damages in both membrane and cytoplasmic levels, and permeabilizes the bacterial membrane. Unlike control antibiotics, complex 2 did not generate resistant mutants in 30-day sequential cultures. We detected lower cytotoxicity in a non-tumoral THLE-2 cell line (IC50 = 25.5 μM) and no acute toxicity signs in vivo after an i.v. 1-mg/kg dose. The characterization presented here reassures the potential of complex 2 as a new chemical class of antimicrobial agents.

Fundamentals and applications of N-heterocyclic carbene functionalized gold surfaces and nanoparticles

Improved stability and higher degree of synthetic tunability has allowed N-heterocyclic carbenes to supplant thiols as ligands for gold surface functionalization.  This review article summarizes the basic science and applications of NHCs on gold.

Synthesis, characterization and anticancer activities of Zn2+, Cu2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ complexes involving chiral amino alcohols

A new type of coordination complexes related with the first transition metal and chiral amino alcohols can effectively fight against the human tumour cell line A549 with an IC50 value of 17.71 μM.

A simple synthetic entryway into new families of NHC-gold-amido complexes and their in vitro antitumor activity

A simple synthetic pathway to Au-NHC amido complexes is reported. Syntheses and isolation of [Au(NHC)(NR1R2)] complexes, bearing various NHC ligands and NH-containing heterocycles under mild conditions are described. The in...

N-Heterocyclic Carbene Iron Complexes as Anticancer Agents: In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Studies

Cisplatin and its derivatives are commonly used in chemotherapeutic treatments of cancer, even though they suffer from many toxic side effects. The problems that emerge from the use of these metal compounds led to the search for new complexes capable to overcome the toxic side effects. Here, we report the evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of Fe(II) cyclopentadienyl complexes bearing n-heterocyclic carbene ligands in tumour cells and their in vivo toxicological profile. The in vitro antiproliferative assays demonstrated that complex Fe1 displays the highest cytotoxic activity both in human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116) and ovarian carcinoma cells (A2780) with IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar range. The antiproliferative effect of Fe1 was even higher than cisplatin. Interestingly, Fe1 showed low in vivo toxicity, and in vivo analyses of Fe1 and Fe2 compounds using colorectal HCT116 zebrafish xenograft showed that both reduce the proliferation of human HCT116 colorectal cancer cells in vivo.

Evaluation of Ruthenium(II) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes as Antibacterial Agents and Inhibitors of Bacterial Thioredoxin Reductase

A series of ruthenium(II) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands of the general type (arene)(NHC)Ru(II)X2 (where X = halide) was prepared, characterized, and evaluated as antibacterial agents in comparison to the respective metal free benzimidazolium cations. The ruthenium(II) NHC complexes generally triggered stronger bacterial growth inhibition than the metal free benzimidazolium cations. The effects were much stronger against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) than against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and all complexes were inactive against the fungus Candida albicans. Moderate inhibition of bacterial thioredoxin reductase was confirmed for selected complexes, indicating that inhibition of this enzyme might be a contributing factor to the antibacterial effects.

N-Heterocyclic silylenes in coinage metal chemistry: an account of recent advances

This article intends to highlight and comprehensively summarize the recent developments in the field of silylene-coinage metal chemistry. Recent years have witnessed exponential growth in the utilization of N-heterocyclic silylenes as ligands in transition metal chemistry. Still, silylene-coinage metal complexes have only started to appear very recently. Particular attention is focused on the synthetic approaches to silylene-coinage metal complexes and their unusual properties derived from the spectroscopic and crystallographic data. Recent studies have demonstrated that silylene-coinage metal complexes exhibit catalytic efficiency towards hydrosilylation, copper-catalyzed alkyne azide cycloaddition (CuAAC), and glycosidation reactions. Although the chemistry of silylene-coinage metal complexes has only begun to blossom, these findings justify the need for a review at this stage of development. This article will summarize the previous work on silylene-coinage metal complexes followed by recent advances and conclude with future possibilities.

Strategies for the Improvement of Metal-Based Chemotherapeutic Treatments

This article provides an overview of the various research approaches we have explored in recent years to improve metal-based agents for cancer or infection treatments. Although cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin remain the cornerstones in tumor chemotherapy, the discovery and approval of novel inorganic anticancer drugs is a very slow process. Analogously, although a few promising inorganic drugs have found clinical application against parasitic or bacterial infections, their use remains relatively limited. Moreover, the discovery process is often affected by small therapeutic enhancements that are not attractive for the pharmaceutical industry. However, the availability of increasing mechanistic information for the modes of action of established inorganic drugs is fueling the exploration of various approaches for developing effective inorganic chemotherapy agents. Through a series of examples, some from our own research experience, we focus our attention on a number of promising strategies, including (1) drug repurposing, (2) the simple modification of the chemical structures of approved metal-based drugs, (3) testing novel drug combinations, and (4) newly synthesized complexes coupling different anticancer drugs. Accordingly, we aim to suggest and summarize a series of reliable approaches that are exploitable for the development of improved and innovative treatments.