Hypoxia is a state of low oxygen tension found in numerous solid tumours.

This work describes the rational design, synthesis, and study of a ligand that selectively complexes CUG repeats in RNA (and CTG repeats in DNA) with high nanomolar affinity. This sequence is considered a causative agent of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) because of its ability to sequester muscleblind-like ( inhibition ͉ MBNL1 ͉ molecular recognition ͉ myotonic dystrophy ͉ RNA

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a unique mode of cell death that could trigger tumour-specific immune response. Metal-based drugs which have emerged as promising agents within the lexicon of possible ICD inducers will be the topic of this review.

Ferrocene containing N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligated gold(I) complexes of the type [Au(NHC)2]+ were prepared and found to be capable of regulating the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via multiple mechanisms. Single crystal X-ray analysis of bis(1-(ferrocenylmethyl)-3-mesitylimidazol-2-ylidene)-gold(I) chloride (5) and bis(1,3-di(ferrocenylmethyl)imidazol-2-ylidene)-gold(I) chloride (6) revealed a quasi-liner geometry around the gold(I) centers, (i.e., the C–Au–C bond angle were measured to be ~177° and all the Au–Ccarbene bonds distances were in the range of 2.00 (7) – 2.03 (1) Å). A series of cell studies indicated that cell proliferation inhibition and ROS generation were directly proportional to amount of ferrocene contained within the [Au(NHC)2]+ complexes (IC50 of 6 < 5 < bis(1-benzyl-3-mesitylimidazol-2-ylidene)-gold(I) chloride (4)). Complexes 4–6 were also confirmed to inhibit thioredoxin reductase as inferred from lipoate reduction assays and increase chelatable intracellular zinc concentrations. RNA microarray gene expression assays revealed that 6 induces endoplasmic reticulum stress response pathways as a result of ROS increase.