No abstract

No abstract

The synthesis and characterization of cationic ruthenium(II) complexes of the type [Ru(η(6)-p-cym)Cl{Ph(2)P(CH(2))(n)S(O)(x)Ph-κP,κS}][PF(6)] (n = 1-3; x = 0, 1; p-cym = p-cymene) are presented. Furthermore, their high biological potential even against cisplatin-resistant tumor cell lines and their structure-activity relationships are discussed.

In vitro studies with the ruthenium(II) and analogous iridium(III) complexes [Ru(η6- p-cymene)Cl2{Ph2PCH2CH2CH2S(O)xPh-κP}], [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl{Ph2PCH2CH2CH2S(O)xPh- κP,κS}][PF6] (1-4), [Ir(η5-C5Me5)Cl2{Ph2PCH2CH2CH2S(O)xPh-κP}] and [Ir(η5-C5Me5)Cl{Ph2 PCH2CH2CH2S(O)xPh-κP,κS}][PF6] (5-8; x = 0, 1) revealed the high selectivity toward the 8505C, A253, MCF-7, SW480 and 518A2 cancer cell lines. Thus, the cationic ruthenium complex 4 proved to be the most selective one. In case of the neutral and cationic ruthenium complexes 1-4 the caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death was proven as the main cause of the drug's tumoricidal action on 8505C cell line.

Iridium(III) complexes of the type [Ir(η(5) -C5 Me5 )Cl2 {Ph2 PCH2 CH2 CH2 S(O)x Ph-κP}] (x=0-2; 1-3) and [Ir(η(5) -C5 Me5 )Cl{Ph2 PCH2 CH2 CH2 S(O)x Ph-κP,κS}][PF6 ] (x=0-1; 4 and 5) with 3-(diphenylphosphino)propyl phenyl sulfide, sulfoxide, and sulfone ligands Ph2 PCH2 CH2 CH2 S(O)x Ph were designed, synthesized, and characterized fully, including X-ray diffraction analyses for complexes 3 and 4. In vitro studies against human thyroid carcinoma (8505C), submandibular carcinoma (A253), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), colon adenocarcinoma (SW480), and melanoma (518A2) cell lines provided evidence for the high biological potential of the neutral and cationic iridium(III) complexes. Neutral iridium(III) complex 5 proved to be the most active, with IC50 values up to about 0.1 μM, representing activities of up to one order of magnitude higher than cisplatin. Using 8505C cells, apoptosis was shown to be the main mechanism through which complex 5 exerts its tumoricidal action. The described iridium(III) complexes represent potential leads in the search for novel metal-based anticancer agents.