Is the Way to Fight Cancer Paved with Gold? Metal-Based Carbene Complexes with Multiple and Fascinating Biological Features

Overview

Journal Pharmaceuticals (Basel)

Publisher MDPI

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2020 May 15

PMID 32403274

Citations 22

Authors

Domenico Iacopetta

Camillo Rosano

Marco Sirignano

Annaluisa Mariconda

Jessica Ceramella

Marco Ponassi

Carmela Saturnino

Maria Stefania Sinicropi

Pasquale Longo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Herein, we report the synthesis and the multiple anti-tumor properties of new gold and silver carbene complexes. The chemical modifications, grounded on our previous studies, led us to identify a good lead complex, gold-based, whose biological features are very exciting and promising in the anti-cancer research and could be further developed. Indeed, the bis-[4,5-dichloro-(-methyl-'(2-hydroxy-2-phenyl)ethyl-imidazole-2-ylidene)gold(I)][dichloro-gold] () complex possesses the ability to interfere with at least three important and different intracellular targets, namely the human topoisomerases I and II and tubulin, which are able to modulate metabolic processes not directly correlated each other. We proved that the modifications of the ligands structure in , with respect to another already published complex, i.e., bis-[4,5-dichloro-(-methyl-'(cyclopentane-2ol)-imidazole-2-ylidine)gold(I)][dichloro-gold] (), produce a different behavior toward tubulin-polymerization process, since a tubulin-polymerization inhibitor and a stabilizer, with the final same result of hampering the tumor growth. Taken together, our outcomes designate as a promising compound for the development of multi-targeted anti-cancer therapies.

Citing Articles

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Au Acyclic (Amino)(N-Pyridinium)carbenoids: Synthesis via Addition of 2-PySeCl to Au-Bound Isonitriles, Structures, and Cytotoxicity.

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When Chirality Makes the Difference: The Case of Novel Enantiopure -Heterocyclic Carbene-Gold and -Silver Complexes.

Marra M, Mariconda A, Iacopetta D, Ceramella J, DAmato A, Rosano C Molecules. 2024; 29(22).

PMID: 39598651 PMC: 11596155. DOI: 10.3390/molecules29225262.

An Update on Recent Studies Focusing on the Antioxidant Properties of Species.

Iacopetta D, Ceramella J, Scumaci D, Catalano A, Sinicropi M, Tundis R Antioxidants (Basel). 2023; 12(12).

PMID: 38136225 PMC: 10740915. DOI: 10.3390/antiox12122106.

NHC-Ag(I) and NHC-Au(I) Complexes with -Boc-Protected α-Amino Acidate Counterions Powerfully Affect the Growth of MDA-MB-231 Cells.

Iacopetta D, Costabile C, La Chimia M, Mariconda A, Ceramella J, Scumaci D ACS Med Chem Lett. 2023; 14(11):1567-1575.

PMID: 37974945 PMC: 10641922. DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00360.

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