Copper(II) Schiff base coordination compounds of dien with heterocyclic aldehydes and 2-amino-5-methyl-thiazole: synthesis, characterization, antiproliferative and antibacterial studies. Crystal structure of CudienOOCl2.

A new series of coordination compounds of the starting materials [Cu(dienX(2)Y(2))] and their adducts [Cu(dienXXY(2))(2a-5mt)] (where dien=diethylenetriamine, dienXX=Schiff bases of diethylenetriamine with 2-furaldehyde or 2-thiophene-carboxaldehyde, X=O, S, Y=Cl, Br, NO(3) and 2a-5mt=2-amino-5-methylthiazole) were synthesized by stepwise reactions and their structures were established by C, H, N, Cu analysis, spectroscopic, magnetic and molar conductivity measurements. The isolated compounds are monomers, paramagnetic and electrolytic compounds of the type 1:1. In all cases, the pentadentate Schiff base (dienXX) is bonded in a tridentate fashion through the 3 N atoms. In the CudienXXY(2) compounds the coordination sphere is completed by two Cl or Br or NO(3) groups in a square pyramidal arrangement. The proposed structure for this type of compound was further supported by X-ray diffraction analysis of the compound [Cu(dienOO)Cl(2)]. Its basal plane consists of three Cu-N contacts [2.017(2), 2.025(2) and 2.012(2) A] from dienOO, and the Cl(1) atom, while the Cl(2) atom possesses the apical position, the relevant distances being 2.2732(7) A for Cu-Cl(1) and 2.6051(7) A Cu-Cl(2). In the CudienX(2)Y(2).2a-5mt adducts the coordination sphere of copper is further completed by the nitrogen ring atom of the 2a-5mt, forming an octahedral configuration. The study of the biological activity of the compounds synthesized against a panel of different normal and cancer cell lines (MRC5, HeLa, MCF7, HT-29, OAW42, T47D) and bacteria (E. coli, B. cereus, B. subtilis) showed that the adducts of the type [Cu(dienXXY(2))(2a-5mt)] exhibit increased activity both in cancer cells and in bacteria, compared to the starting material of type [Cu(dienXXY(2))].

Antiproliferative activity of mixed-ligand dien-Cu(II) complexes with thiazole, thiazoline and imidazole derivatives.

The reaction of [Cu(dien)NO(3)]NO(3) with 2-amino-5-methylthiazole (2A5MT), 2-amino-2-thiazoline (2A-2Tzn), imidazole (im), N,N'-thiocarbonyldiimidazole (Tcdim), 2-aminothiazole (2AT) and 2-ethylimidazole (2Etim), gave a new series of mixed-ligand compounds of the general formula [Cu(dien)(B)NO(3))]NO(3); (dien, diethylenetriamine; B, 2A5MT, 2A-2Tzn, im, Tcdim, 2AT and 2Etim). The complexes have been characterised by elemental analysis, molar conductivity and magnetic measurements, as well as by electronic and IR spectral studies. According to the above measurements the possible structure of the compounds is the square pyramidal in the solid state and the square planar in aqueous solution. We tested all complexes for antiproliferative (cytostatic and cytotoxic) activity against a panel of cell lines (HeLa, L929, HT-29 and T47D). All [(dien)Cu(B)NO(3))](NO(3)) complexes had an activity against colon cancer cells (HT-29), inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest, an effect that for most of the complexes could be attributed to p34cdc2 inhibition by tyrosine-phosphorylation and/or to induction of (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor) p21(WAF1). Other cell lines were resistant to the majority of the complexes, except [Cu(dien)(2A5MT)NO(3))](NO(3)), that had showed the highest anti-proliferative activity against HT-29 cells also. The predilection for colon cancer cells and the relatively low toxicity against normal (L929) cells justify further investigation of this group of compounds.

Protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, enhances apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in K562 cells treated with gamma-irradiation.

Genistein, is a natural isoflavone compound with a potent activity against protein tyrosine kinases. The leukemic cell line, K562, is a bcr/abl (Philadelphia chromosome) positive cell line that is resistant to DNA-damaging agents, including gamma-irradiation. Treatment with genistein increased apoptosis and promoted G2-phase arrest in the non-apoptotic population of the gamma-irradiated K562 cells. Irradiated cells that survived 72 h after the irradiation had a normal distribution in cell cycle, whilst genistein treatment kept cells arrested in the G2-phase, decreased the S-phase fraction and suppressed DNA-synthesis. Taken together, our results show that genistein augments apoptotic cell death after gamma-irradiation in K562 cells and this result cannot be attributed to abrogation of the G2/M checkpoint.