Iron is a trace element required for normal performance of cellular processes. Because both the deficiency and excess of this metal are dangerous, its absorption, distribution and accumulation must be tightly regulated. Disturbances of iron homeostasis and an increase in its level may lead to overload and neurodegenerative diseases. Phlebotomy was for a long time the only way of removing excess iron. But since there are many possible disadvantages of this method, chelation therapy seems to be a logical approach to remove toxic levels of iron. In clinical use, there are three drugs: desferrioxamine, deferiprone and deferasirox. FBS0701, a novel oral iron chelator, is under clinical trials with very promising results. Developing novel iron-binding chelators is an urgent matter, not only for systemic iron overload, but also for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Deferiprone is also used in clinical trials in Parkinson's disease. In neurodegenerative disorders the main goal is not only to remove iron from brain tissues, but also its redistribution in system. Few chelators are tested for their potential use in neurodegeneration, such as nonhalogeneted derivatives of clioquinol. Such compounds gave promising results in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. Drugs of possible use in neurodegeneration must meet certain criteria. Their development includes the improvement in blood brain barrier permeability, low toxicity and the ability to prevent lipid peroxidation. One of the compounds satisfying these requirements is VK28. In rat models it was able to protect neurons in very low doses without significantly changing the iron level in liver or serum. Also iron chelators able to regulate activity of monoamine oxidase were tested. Polyphenols and flavonoids are able to prevent lipid peroxidation and demonstrate neuroprotective activity. While cancer does not involve true iron overload, neoplastic cells have a higher iron requirement and are especially prone to its depletion. It was shown, that desferrioxamine and deferasirox are antiproliferative agents active in several types of cancer. Very potent compounds with possible use as anticancer drugs are thiosemicarbazones. They are able to inhibit ribonucleotide reductase, an enzyme involved in DNA synthesis. Because the relationship between the development of overload / neurodegenerative disorders, or cancer, and iron are very complex, comprehension of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of iron homeostasis is a crucial factor in the development of new pharmacological strategies based on iron chelation. In view of various factors closely involved in pathogenesis of such diseases, designing multifunctional metal-chelators seems to be the most promising approach, but it requires a lot of effort. In this perspective, the review summarizes systemic iron homeostasis, and in brain and cancer cells, iron dysregulation in neurodegenerative disease and possible chelation strategies in the treatment of metal systemic overload, neurodegeneration and c...

The behaviour of the system formed by V(IV)O(2+) ion with all-cis-2,4,6-trimethoxycyclohexane-1,3,5-triamine (tmca) was characterized in aqueous solution through the combined application of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), pH-potentiometry and DFT methods. The formation of an unusual non-oxido [V(tmcaH-2)2] species with VN6 coordination, with the ligand in the bianionic form, was demonstrated. The geometry, EPR and UV-Vis spectra and electronic structure of [V(tmcaH-2)2] were simulated with Gaussian 09 and ORCA software and the results were compared with those of similar oxido and non-oxido vanadium(iv) species formed by other polyamine and polyol related ligands, such as 1,3,5-triamino-1,3,5-trideoxy-cis-inositol (taci), 1,3,5-trideoxy-1,3,5-tris(dimethylamino)-cis-inositol (tdci), cis-inositol (ino) and 1,3,5-trideoxy-1,3,5-trimethoxy-cis-inositol (tmci). The results indicate that V(IV)O(2+) species are formed in acid and weakly basic solution and that [V(tmcaH-2)2] is observed above pH 10. In the non-oxido complex, DFT calculations suggest that the two -NH2 groups are in trans position and that the pre-organization of the ligands favours the metal complexation and the formation of the hexa-coordinated species with VN6 coordination.

A chiral spin crossover complex was obtained in the form of nanoparticles and gels that undergo a cooperative spin state switch around room temperature.

Solution and solid state studies on Cu(II) complexes of pyridine-2-hydroxamic acid (HPicHA) and pyridine-2,6-dihydroxamic acid (H2PyDHA) were carried out. The use of methanol/water solvent allowed us to investigate the Cu(II)-HPicHA equilibria under homogeneous conditions between pH 1 and 11. In agreement with ESI-MS indication, the potentiometric data fitted very well with the model usually reported for copper(II) complexes of α-aminohydroxamate complexes ([CuL](+), [Cu5(LH-1)4](2+), [CuL2], [CuL2H-1](-)), however with much higher stability of the 12-MC-4 species. A series of copper(II) complexes has been isolated in the solid state and characterized by a variety of spectroscopic methods, X-ray structure analysis, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The ligands show the tendency to form bi- and trinuclear species with copper(II) ions due to the {(N,N'); (O,O')} bis-(bidentate) chelating-and-bridging mode involving (O,O')-hydroxamate chelate formation combined with (N,N') chelating with participation of the pyridine and hydroxamic nitrogen atoms, so that the hydroxamate groups play a μ2-(N,O)-bridging role. Molecular and crystal structures of three synthesized complexes [Cu3(PicHA-H)2(dipy)2](ClO4)2·4/3DMSO·2/3H2O (1), [Cu2(PyDHA)(dipy)2(ClO4)2]·DMF·H2O (4), and [Cu3(PyDHA-2H)(tmeda)3](ClO4)2 (5) (dipy, 2,2'-dipyridyl; tmeda, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,2-diaminoethane) have been determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. In 1, two trans-situated doubly deprotonated hydroxamic ligands play a {(O,O')(N,N')}-(bis)bidentate-bridging function forming bridges between the medial, Cu(2) (CuN4), and the terminal, Cu(1) and Cu(3) (CuN2O2), copper(II) ions; the chelating dipy ligands are coordinated to the latter. In 4, the ligand is coordinated in a classical (O,O')-hydroxamate chelating mode with the help of two separate hydroxamic groups while the central tridentate donor compartment remains vacant. In 5, the hydroxamate ligand is coordinated by the {(O,O');(N,N',N″);(O″,O"')}-tridentate-(bis)bidentate mode, bridging three copper(II) ions, while the chelating tmeda ligands are coordinated to all three copper(II) ions. Magnetic susceptibility measurements (1.7-300 K) of powdered samples of the trinuclear complexes 1 and 5 revealed strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the copper(II) ions mediated by the hydroxamate bridges.

This review focuses on the current knowledge on the involvement of metal ions in signaling processes within the cell, in both physiological and pathological conditions. The first section is devoted to the recent discoveries on magnesium and calcium-dependent signal transduction—the most recognized signaling agents among metals. The following sections then describe signaling pathways where zinc, copper, and iron play a key role. There are many systems in which changes in intra- and extra-cellular zinc and copper concentrations have been linked to important downstream events, especially in nervous signal transduction. Iron signaling is mostly related with its homeostasis. However, it is also involved in a recently discovered type of programmed cell death, ferroptosis. The important differences in metal ion signaling, and its disease-leading alterations, are also discussed.