We report on the synthesis, characterization, and stability studies of new titanocene complexes containing a methyl group and a carboxylate ligand (mba = −OC(O)-p-C6H4-S−) bound to gold(I)–N-heterocyclic carbene fragments through the thiolate group: [(η5-C5H5)2TiMe(μ-mba)Au(NHC)]. The cytotoxicities of the heterometallic compounds along with those of novel monometallic gold–N-heterocyclic carbene precursors [(NHC)Au(mbaH)] have been evaluated against renal, prostate, colon, and breast cancer cell lines. The highest activity and selectivity and a synergistic effect of the resulting heterometallic species was found for the prostate and colon cancer cell lines. The colocalization of both titanium and gold metals (1:1 ratio) in PC3 prostate cancer cells was demonstrated for the selected compound 5a, indicating the robustness of the heterometallic compound in vitro. We describe here preliminary mechanistic data involving studies on the interaction of selected mono- and bimetallic compounds with plasmid (pBR322) used as a model nucleic acid and the inhibition of thioredoxin reductase in PC3 prostate cancer cells. The heterometallic compounds, which are highly apoptotic, exhibit strong antimigratory effects on the prostate cancer cell line PC3.

Auranofin is an FDA-approved gold-containing compound used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reports of antimicrobial activity against protozoa and bacteria indicate that auranofin targets the reductive enzyme thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). We evaluated auranofin as well as five auranofin analogs containing N-heterocyclic carbenes (instead of the triethylphosphane present in auranofin) and five gold-carbene controls for their ability to inhibit or kill Helicobacter pylori in vitro Auranofin completely inhibited bacterial growth at 1.2 μM. Purified H. pylori TrxR was inhibited by auranofin in a cell-free assay (IC50 ∼88 nM). The most active gold(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene compounds exhibited MICs comparable to auranofin against H. pylori (2 μM), while also exhibiting lower toxicities for human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293T cells). Median toxic concentrations (TC50) were 13-20-fold higher compared to auranofin indicating that they were less cytotoxic. The N-heterocyclic carbene analogs maybe well tolerated, but further evaluation is needed in vivo Finally, auranofin was synergistic with the antibiotic amoxicillin, suggesting that targeting both the reductive enzyme TrxR and cell wall synthesis may be effective against H. pylori infections.