Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is emerging as a significant complementary or alternative approach for cancer treatment. PDT drugs act as photosensitisers, which upon using appropriate wavelength light and in the presence of molecular oxygen, can lead to cell death. Herein, we reviewed the general characteristics of the different generation of photosensitisers. We also outlined the emergence of rhenium (Re) and more specifically, Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes as a new generation of metal-based photosensitisers for photodynamic therapy that are of great interest in multidisciplinary research. The photophysical properties and structures of Re(I) complexes discussed in this review are summarised to determine basic features and similarities among the structures that are important for their phototoxic activity and future investigations. We further examined the in vitro and in vivo efficacies of the Re(I) complexes that have been synthesised for anticancer purposes. We also discussed Re(I) complexes in conjunction with the advancement of two-photon PDT, drug combination study, nanomedicine, and photothermal therapy to overcome the limitation of such complexes, which generally absorb short wavelengths.
The bidentate N-cyclohexyl-2-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide Schiff base ligand (HL) was coordinated to divalent nickel, palladium and platinum ions to form square planar complexes. The nickel and palladium complexes, [NiL2 ], [PdL2 ] form square planar complexes with 2:1 ligand to metal ratio. The platinum complex, [PtL(dmso)Cl] formed a square planar complex with 1:1 ligand to metal ratio. Platinum undergoes in situ reaction with DMSO before complexing with the ligand in solution. The cytotoxicity of HL, [NiL2 ], [PdL2 ], and [PtL(dmso)Cl] were evaluated against human colon cancer cell line (HCT-116), human cervical cancer (Hela) cell line, melanoma (B16F10) cells, and human normal endothelial cell lines (Eahy926) by MTT assay. The [NiL2 ] complex displayed selective cytotoxic effect against the HCT 116 cancer cell line with IC50 of 7.9 ± 0.2 μM. However, HL, [PdL2 ], and [PtL(dmso)Cl] only exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity with IC50 = 75.9 ± 2.4, 100.0 ± 1.8, and 101.0 ± 3.6 μM, respectively. The potent cytotoxicity of [NiL2 ] was characterized using Hoechst and Rhodamine assays. The nickel complex, [NiL2 ], caused remarkable nuclear condensation and reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, molecular docking studies confirms that [NiL2 ] possesses significant binding efficiency with Tyrosine kinase. Altogether, the results revealed that [NiL2 ] exhibits cytotoxicity against the cancer cells via Tyrosine kinase-induced proapoptosis pathway. This study demonstrates that the [NiL2 ] complex could be a promising therapeutic agent against colorectal carcinoma.
Copper compounds can be alternatives to platinum-based anticancer drugs. This study investigated the effects of a series of ternary copper(II) complexes, [Cu(phen)(aa)(H2O)]NO3·xH2O 1-4 (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; aa = gly (1), DL-ala (2), sar (3), C-dmg (4)), on metastatic and cisplatin-resistant MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and MCF10A non-cancerous breast cells, and some aspects of the mechanisms. These complexes were distinctively more antiproliferative towards and induced greater apoptotic cell death in MDA-MB-231 than in MCF10A cells. 2 and 4 could induce cell cycle arrest only in cancer cells. Further evidence from DCFH-DA assay showed higher induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in treated cancer cells but minimal ROS increase in normal cells. DNA double-strand breaks, via a γ-H2AX assay, were only detected in cancer cells treated with 5 μM of the complexes. These complexes poorly inhibited chymotrypsin-like activity in the 20S rabbit proteasome while they did not inhibit the three proteolytic sites of MDA-MB-231 cells at 10 μM. However, the complexes could inhibit degradation of ubiquinated proteins of MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, compound 4 was found to be effective against cervical (Hela), ovarian (SKOV3), lung (A549, PC9), NPC (Hone1, HK1, C666-1), breast (MCF7, T47D), lymphoma and leukemia (Nalmawa, HL60) and colorectal (SW480, SW48, HCT118) cancer cell lines with IC50 values (24 h) in the 1.7-19.0 μM range. Single dose NCI60 screening of 4 showed the complex to be highly cytotoxic to most cancer cell types and more effective than cisplatin.
Three metal(II) complexes [CoLCl2], [CuLCl2] and [ZnL2Cl2] {L = 2‑chloro‑3‑((3‑dimethylamino)propylamino)naphthalene‑1,4‑dione} have been synthesized and characterized using analytical, thermal and spectral techniques (FT-IR, UV-Vis, ESR and ESI-MS). The structure of the L has been confirmed by single crystal XRD study. The complexes show good binding propensity to bovine serum albumin (BSA) having relatively higher binding constant values (104 M-1) than the ligand. Fluorescence spectral studies indicate that [CoLCl2] binds relatively stronger with CT DNA through intercalative mode, exhibiting higher binding constant (2.22 × 105 M-1). Agarose gel electrophoresis run on plasmid DNA (pUC18) prove that all the complexes showed efficient DNA cleavage via hydroxyl radical mechanism. The complexes were identified as potent anticancer agents against two human cancer cell lines (MCF7 and A549) by comparing with cisplatin. Co(II) complex demonstrated greater cytotoxicity against MCF7 and A549 cells with IC50 values at 19 and 22 μM, respectively.
The platinum(II) salphen complex N,N'-Bis-4-(hydroxysalicylidene)-phenylenediamine-platinum(II); (1) and its two derivatives containing hydroxyl functionalized side chains N,N'-bis-[4-[[1-(2-hydroxyethoxy)] salicylidene] phenylenediamine-platinum(II); (2) and N,N'-bis-[4-[[1-(3-hydroxypropoxy)] salicylidene] phenylenediamine-platinum(II); (3) were synthesized and characterized. The structures of the complexes were confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, FTIR, ESI-MS and CHN elemental analyses. The effects of the hydroxyl substituent on the spectral properties and the DNA binding behaviors of the Pt(II) complexes were explored. The binding mode and interactions of these complexes with duplex DNA (calf thymus DNA and porcine DNA) and also single-stranded DNA were studied by UV-Vis and emission DNA titration. The complexes interact with DNA by intercalation binding mode with the binding constants in the order of magnitude (Kb = 104 M-1, CT-DNA) and (Kb = 105 M-1, porcine DNA). The intercalation of the complex in the DNA structure was proposed to happen by π-π stacking due to its square-planar geometry and aromatic rings structure. The phosphorescence emission spectral characteristics of Pt(II) complexes when interacted with DNA have been studied. Also, the application of the chosen hydroxypropoxy side chains complex (3) as an optical DNA biosensor, specifically for porcine DNA was investigated. These findings will be valuable for the potential use of the platinum(II) salphen complex as an optical DNA biosensor for the detection of porcine DNA in food products.
Two bidentate NS ligands were synthesized by the condensation reaction of S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC) with 2-methoxybenzaldehyde (2MB) and 3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3MB). The ligands were reacted separately with acetates of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) yielding 1:2 (metal:ligand) complexes. The metal complexes formed were expected to have a general formula of [M(NS)2] where M = Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and various spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectral results supported the predicted coordination geometry in which the Schiff bases behaved as bidentate NS donor ligands coordinating via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. The molecular structures of the isomeric S2M2MBH (1) and S2M3MBH (2) were established by X-ray crystallography to have very similar l-shaped structures. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were evaluated for their biological activities against estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Only the Cu(II) complexes showed marked cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines. Both Schiff bases and other metal complexes were found to be inactive. In concordance with the cytotoxicity studies, the DNA binding studies indicated that Cu(II) complexes have a strong DNA binding affinity.
This paper reports the synthesis, characterization, anticancer screening and quantum chemical calculation of a tetradentate Schiff base 2,2'-((1E,1'E)-((2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diyl)bis- (azanylylidene))bis(methanylylidene))bis(4-fluorophenol) (L2F) and its Pd (II) complex (PdL2F). The compounds were characterized via UV-Visible, NMR, IR spectroscopy and single crystal x-ray diffraction. Density Functional Theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT calculations in gas and solvent phases were carried out using B3LYP, B3P86, CAM-B3LYP and PBE0 hybrid functionals combined with LanL2DZ basis set. Complexation of L2F to form PdL2F was observed to cause a bathochromic shift of the maximum absorption bands of n-π* from 327 to 410 nm; an upfield shift for δ (HC = N) from 8.30 to 7.96 ppm and a decreased wavenumber for ν(C = N) from 1637 to 1616 cm-1. Overall, the UV-Vis, NMR and IR spectral data are relatively well reproduced through DFT and TD-DFT methods. L2F and PdL2F showed IC50 of 90.00 and 4.10 μg/mL, respectively, against human colorectal carcinoma (HCT116) cell lines, signifying increased anticancer activity upon complexation with Pd (II).
Air and moisture stable coordination compounds of late first row transition metals, viz. Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II), with a newly designed ligand, 2-(2-benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)hydrazono)propan-1-ol (LH), were prepared and successfully characterized using various spectro-analytical techniques. The molecular structures of the ligand and nickel complex were unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The [Ni(LH)2]Cl2.3H2O complex is stabilized by intermolecular CH⋯π stacking interactions between the methyl hydrogen and the C18 atom of the phenyl ring (C11-H11B⋯C18) forming 1D zig-zag chain structure. Both, the ligand and its copper complex, were electrochemically active in the working potential range, showing quasi-reversible redox system. The interactions of all the compounds with calf thymus DNA have been comprehensively investigated using electronic absorption spectroscopy, viscosity, electrochemistry and thermal denaturation studies. The cleavage reaction on pBR322 DNA has been monitored by agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that the ligand can bind to CT-DNA through partial intercalation, whereas the complexes bind electrostatically. Further, [Ni(LH)2]Cl2.3H2O and [CuLCl(H2O)2] complexes in the series have high binding and cleavage affinity towards pBR322 DNA. Additionally, all the compounds were screened for anti-tuberculosis activity. All the complexes revealed an MIC value of 0.8 μg/mL, which is almost 8 times active than standard used (Streptomycin, 6.25 μg/mL).
Two nickel(II) complexes with formula NiL1 and NiL2 (HL1 = S-allyl-4-methoxybenzylidene hydrazinecarbodithioate, HL2 = S-allyl-1-napthylidenehydrazinecarbodithioate) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR, UV-vis spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry. The crystal structure of complex 1 has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. Both HL1 and HL2 ligands are coordinated to the metal in thiolate form. In complexes, squareplanar geometry of the nickel is coordinated with two bidentate ligand units acting through azomethine nitrogen and thiolato sulfur atoms. To explore the potential medicinal value of the complexes with calf thymus DNA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied at normal physiological conditions using fluorescence spectral techniques. The DNA binding constant values of the complexes were found in the range from 5.02 × 10(4), 3.54 × 10(4), and the binding affinities are in the following order 1 > 2. In addition, nickel complexes 1 and 2 shows better binding propensity to the bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein, giving a Ksv value 5.8 × 10(4), 4.47 × 10(4) respectively. From the oxidative cleavage of the complexes with pBR322 DNA, it is inferred that the effects of cleavage are dose-dependent. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes assayed against Vero and HeLa cell lines have shown higher cytotoxic activity with the lower IC50 values indicating their efficiency in killing cancer cells even at various concentrations.
Chiral enantiomers [Cu(phen)(L-threo)(H2O)]NO3 1 and [Cu(phen)(D-threo)(H2O)]NO3 2 (threo = threoninate) underwent aldol-type condensation with formaldehyde, with retention of chirality, to yield their respective enantiomeric ternary copper(II) complexes, viz. L- and D-[Cu(phen)(5MeOCA)(H2O)]NO3·xH2O (3 and 4; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; 5MeOCA = 5-methyloxazolidine-4-carboxylate; x = 0-3) respectively. These chiral complexes were characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, circular dichroism, UV-Visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy (FL), molar conductivity measurement, ESI-MS and X-ray crystallography. Analysis of restriction enzyme inhibition by these four complexes revealed modulation of DNA binding selectivity by the type of ligand, ligand modification and chirality. Their interaction with bovine serum albumin was investigated by FL and electronic spectroscopy. With the aid of the crystal structure of BSA, spectroscopic evidence suggested their binding at the cavity containing Trp134 with numerous Tyr residues in subdomain IA. The products were more antiproliferative than cisplatin against cancer cell lines HK-1, MCF-7, HCT116, HSC-2 and C666-1 except HL-60, and were selective towards nasopharyngeal cancer HK-1 cells over normal NP69 cells of the same organ type.
The complexation reactions between the macrocyclic ionophore, p-isopropylcalix[6]arene and Cs+ cation were studied in dimethylsulfoxide-acetonitrile (DMSO-AN) binary non-aqueous solvents at different temperatures using a conductometry method. The conductance data show that the stoichiometry of the (p-isopropylcalix[6]-arene·Cs)+ complex in all binary mixed solvents is 1:1. The stability of the complexes is affected by the composition of the binary solvent media and a non-linear behavior was observed for changes of log K(f) of the complex versus the composition of the binary mixed solvents. The thermodynamic parameters (DH°(c) and DS°(c)) for formation of (p-isopropyl-calix[6]arene·Cs)+ complex were obtained from temperature dependence of the stability constant and the obtained results show that the (p-isopropylcalix[6]arene·Cs)+ complex is enthalpy destabilized, but entropy stabilized, and the values of the mentioned parameters are affected strongly by the nature and composition of the binary mixed solvents.
The syntheses of two platinum(ii) dithiocarbamate complexes (1 and 2) that show quinoplatin- and phenanthriplatin-type axial protection of the Pt-plane are described. The Pt-plane of complex 2 is axially more protected than that of complex 1. Furthermore, both complexes adopt two different stereochemical conformations in the solid state (based on single-crystal X-ray structures) owing to the structurally flexible piperazine backbone; i.e., C-e,e-Anti (1) and C-e,a-Syn (2), where "C" stands for the chair configuration, "e" and "a" stand for the equatorial and axial positions and "Anti" (opposite side) and "Syn" (same side) represent the relative orientations in space of the terminal substituents on the piperazine ring. In complex 2, the C-e,a-Syn conformation may provide additional steric hindrance to the Pt-plane. Despite the lower lipophilicity of 2 as compared to that of 1, the in vitro anticancer action against selected cancer cell lines is better for the former revealing the superior role of the axial protection over lipophilicity in modulating anticancer activity. The activity against the cancer promoting protein NF-κB signifies that the mode of cancer cell death may be the result of hindering the activity of NF-κB in the initiation of apoptosis. The apoptotic mode of cell death has been established earlier in a study using Annexin V-FITC. Finally, DNA binding studies revealed that the complex-DNA adduct formation is spontaneous and the mode of interaction is non-intercalative (electrostatic/covalent).
Five new anionic aqueous dioxidovanadium(V) complexes, [{VO2L1,2}A(H2O)n]α (1-5), with the aroylhydrazone ligands pyridine-4-carboxylic acid (3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene)hydrazide (H2L1) and furan-2-carboxylic acid (3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene)hydrazide (H2L2) incorporating different alkali metals (A = Na+, K+, Cs+) as countercation were synthesized and characterized by various physicochemical techniques. The solution-phase stabilities of 1-5 were determined by time-dependent NMR and UV-vis, and also the octanol/water partition coefficients were obtained by spectroscopic techniques. X-ray crystallography of 2-4 confirmed the presence of vanadium(V) centers coordinated by two cis-oxido-O atoms and the O, N, and O atoms of a dianionic tridentate ligand. To evaluate the biological behavior, all complexes were screened for their DNA/protein binding propensity through spectroscopic experiments. Finally, a cytotoxicity study of 1-5 was performed against colon (HT-29), breast (MCF-7), and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines and a noncancerous NIH-3T3 cell line. The cytotoxicity was cell-selective, being more active against HT-29 than against other cells. In addition, the role of hydrophobicity in the cytotoxicity was explained in that an optimal hydrophobicity is essential for high cytotoxicity. Moreover, the results of wound-healing assays indicated antimigration in case of HT-29 cells. Remarkably, 1 with an IC50 value of 5.42 ± 0.15 μM showed greater activity in comparison to cisplatin against the HT-29 cell line.
Two ternary Zn(II) complexes, with 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) as the main ligand and a carboxylate-containing ligand [dipicolinate (dipico) or L-threoninate (L-Thr)] as the subsidiary ligand, were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform IR, UV, and fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, molar conductivity, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. X-ray structure analysis shows that both [Zn(phen)(dipico)(H(2)O)]·H(2)O (1) and [Zn(phen)(L-Thr)(H(2)O)Cl]·2H(2)O (2) have octahedral geometry about the Zn(II) atom. Both complexes can inhibit topoisomerase I, and have better anticancer activity than cisplatin against nasopharyngeal cancer cell lines, HK1 and HONE-1, with concentrations causing 50 % inhibition of cell proliferation (IC(50)) in the low micromolar range. Complex 2 has the highest therapeutic index for HK1. Both Zn(II) complexes can induce cell death by apoptosis. Changing the subsidiary ligand in the Zn(II) complexes affects the UV-fluorescence spectral properties of the coordinated phen ligand, the binding affinity for some DNA sequences, nucleobase sequence-selective binding, the phase at which cell cycle progression was arrested for treated cancer cells, and their therapeutic index.