A New Class of Gold(I) NHC Complexes with Proapoptotic and Resensitizing Properties towards Multidrug Resistant Leukemia Cells Overexpressing BCL-2

J Med Chem. 2024 Sep 12;67(17):15494-15508. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01117. Epub 2024 Aug 28.

Abstract

From previous studies, it is evident that metal-organic gold(I) complexes have antiproliferative activities. The aim of this study is not only to find new anticancer agents but also to overcome existing cytostatic resistance in cancer cells. The synthesis and medicinal evaluation of two cationic 1,3-disubstituted gold(I) bis-tetrazolylidene complexes 1 and 2 are reported. To determine apoptosis-inducing properties of the complexes, DNA fragmentation was measured using propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry. Gold(I) complex 1 targets explicitly malignant cells, effectively inhibiting their growth and selectively inducing apoptosis without signs of necrosis. Even in cells resistant to common treatments such as doxorubicin, it overcomes multidrug resistance and sensitizes existing drug-resistant cells to common cytostatic drugs. It is assumed that gold(I) complex 1 involves the mitochondrial pathway in apoptosis and targets members of the BCL-2 family, enhancing its potential as a therapeutic agent in cancer treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis* / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Coordination Complexes / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry
  • Coordination Complexes / pharmacology
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple* / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / drug effects
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Gold* / chemistry
  • Gold* / pharmacology
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemical synthesis
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Leukemia / drug therapy
  • Leukemia / metabolism
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Methane / analogs & derivatives
  • Methane / chemistry
  • Methane / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2* / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Gold
  • Heterocyclic Compounds
  • carbene
  • Methane
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Doxorubicin