Fluorescent palladium(II) and platinum(II) NHC/1,2,3-triazole complexes: antiproliferative activity and selectivity against cancer cells

Dalton Trans. 2021 Feb 16;50(6):2158-2166. doi: 10.1039/d0dt04114a.

Abstract

Fluorescent Pd(ii) and Pt(ii) complexes bearing 4-methylene-7-methoxycoumarin (MMC) and 2,6-diispropylphenyl (Dipp) substituted NHC/1,2,3-triazole hybrid ligands are described. Depending on the reaction conditions two different ligand coordination modes are observed, i.e., bidentate solely coordinating via NHCs or tetradentate coordinating via NHCs and 1,2,3-triazoles. All Dipp substituted complexes show antiproliferative activity against cervix (HeLa) and breast (MCF-7) human carcinoma cells. The activity significantly depends on the coordination mode, with the tetradentate motif being notably more effective (HeLa: IC50 = 3.9 μM to 4.7 μM; MCF-7: IC50 = 2.07 μM to 2.35 μM). Amongst the MMC series, only the Pd(ii) complex featuring the bidentate coordination mode is active against HeLa (IC50 = 6.1 μM). In contrast to its structurally related Dipp derivative (SI = 0.6), it shows a high selectivity for HeLa (SI > 16) compared to healthy skin cells (HaCaT). According to fluorescence microscopy, this compound is presumably located in late endosomes or lysosomes.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Coordination Complexes* / chemistry
  • Coordination Complexes* / pharmacology
  • Coumarins* / chemistry
  • Coumarins* / pharmacology
  • Fluorescence
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Organometallic Compounds* / chemistry
  • Organometallic Compounds* / pharmacology
  • Palladium* / chemistry
  • Palladium* / pharmacology
  • Platinum* / chemistry
  • Platinum* / pharmacology
  • Triazoles* / chemistry
  • Triazoles* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Coumarins
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Triazoles
  • Platinum
  • Palladium