Human colon cancer targeted pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic and cytostatic effects of binuclear Silver(I)-N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes.

The current mechanistic study was conducted to explore the effects of increased lipophilicity of binuclear silver(I)-NHC complexes on cytotoxicity. Two new silver(I)-N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) complexes (3 and 4), having lypophilic terminal alkyl chains (Octyl and Decyl), were derived from meta-xylyl linked bis-benzimidazolium salts (1 and 2). Each of the synthesized compounds was characterized by microanalysis and spectroscopic techniques. The complexes were tested for their cytotoxicity against a panel of human cancer c as well normal cell lines using MTT assay. Based on MTT assay results, complex 4 was found to be selectively toxic towards human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT 116). Complex 4 was further studied in detail to explore the mechanism of cell death and findings of the study revealed that complex 4 has promising pro-apoptotic and anti-metastatic activities against HCT 116 cells. Furthermore, it showed pronounced cytostatic effects in HCT 116 multicellular spheroid model. Hence, binuclear silver(I)-NHC complexes with longer terminal aliphatic chains have worth to be further studied against human colon cancer for the purpose of drug development.

Crystal structure of a new monoclinic polymorph of 2,4-di-hydroxy-benzaldehyde 4-methyl-thio-semi-carbazone.

The title compound, C9H11N3O2S, is a second monoclinic (P21/c) polymorph of the previously reported Cc form [Tan et al. (2008b ▶). Acta Cryst. E64, o2224]. The mol-ecule is non-planar, with the dihedral angle between the N3CS residue (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0816 Å) and the benzene ring being 21.36 (4)°. The conformation about the C=N bond [1.292 (2) Å] is E, the two N-bound H atoms are anti, and the inner hy-droxy O-bound and outer amide N-bound H atoms form intra-molecular hydrogen bonds to the imine N atom. Crucially, the H atom of the outer hy-droxy group is approximately syn to the H atom of the benzene C atom connecting the two C atoms bearing the hy-droxy substituents. This arrangement enables the formation of supra-molecular tubes aligned along [010] and sustained by N-H⋯O, O-H⋯S and N-H⋯S hydrogen bonds; the tubes pack with no specific inter-actions between them. While the mol-ecular structure in the Cc form is comparable, the H atom of the outer hy-droxy group is approximately anti, rather than syn. This different orientation leads to the formation a three-dimensional architecture based on N-H⋯O and O-H⋯S hydrogen bonds.

Mononuclear dioxomolybdenum(VI) thiosemicarbazonato complexes: Synthesis, characterization, structural illustration, in vitro DNA binding, cleavage, and antitumor properties.

Four dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes were synthesized by reacting [MoO2(acac)2] with N-ethyl-2-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide (1), N-ethyl-2-(5-allyl-3-methoxy-2-hydroxybenzylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide (2), N-methyl-2-(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide (3), and N-ethyl-2-(3-methyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene) hydrazinecarbothioamide (4). The molecular structures of 1, 2, and all the synthesized complexes were determined using single crystal X-ray crystallography. The binding properties of the ligand and complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were investigated via UV, fluorescence titrations, and viscosity measurement. Gel electrophoresis revealed that all the complexes cleave pBR 322 plasmid DNA. The cytotoxicity of the complexes were studied against the HCT 116 human colorectal cell line. All the complexes exhibited more pronounced activity than the standard reference drug 5-fluorouracil (IC50 7.3µM). These studies show that dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes could be potentially useful in chemotherapy.