In the search for new therapeutic tools against neglected diseases produced by trypanosomatid parasites, and particularly against African Trypanosomiasis, whose etiological agent is Trypanosoma brucei, organoruthenium compounds with bioactive nitrofuran containing thiosemicarbazones (L) as co-ligands were obtained. Four ruthenium(ii) complexes with the formula [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L)2]X2, where X = Cl or PF6, were synthesized and the crystal structures of two of them were solved by X-ray diffraction methods. Two of the complexes show significant in vitro growth inhibition activity against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and are highly selective towards trypanosomal cells with respect to mammalian cells (J774 murine macrophages). These promising results make the title organoruthenium compounds good lead candidates for further developments towards potential antitrypanosomal organometallic drugs.
Four complexes combining the {Ru(p-cym)} moiety (p-cym = para-cymene) with thiosemicarbazone (TSC) ligands containing the 5-nitrofuryl pharmacophore were investigated in vitro for their properties as prospective anti-tumour agents. The compounds are dimeric structures of general formula [Ru2(p-cym)2(L)2]X2 where X = Cl(-), PF6(-) and L = deprotonated 5-nitrofuraldehyde TSC (L1), and the N-methyl (L2), N-ethyl (L3) and N-phenyl (L4) derivatives. The precursor [RuCl2(p-cym)]2, all TSC ligands L1-L4and their corresponding complexes 1-4 were screened in vitro for their cytotoxicity against a range of human cancer cell lines (HL-60 acute promyelocytic leukemia, A2780 ovarian adenocarcinoma, MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma and PC3 grade IV prostate carcinoma). While the precursor complex was found to be inactive and L4 exhibited moderate activity only in the MCF7 cell line, the coordination of L4 to the {Ru(p-cym)} moiety remarkably enhanced the activity of the whole complex. In fact, complex 4 [Ru2(p-cym)2(L4)2]Cl2 was found to be the most active agent of the whole series, and was studied further (as well as complex 1 for comparison). Concerning the mode of action, the mechanism of cell death for both 1 and 4 seemed to be related to apoptotic processes, and they strongly interacted with tubulin (involved in the cell cycle) and with integrin (involved in the cytoskeleton formation). As an approach to their pharmacokinetics, the interaction of 1 and 4 with human serum albumin (HSA) was assessed. A quantitative model for the binding of 4 to HSA is proposed from Circular Dichroism data, and validated by fluorescence results. Models of Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence quenching afforded the distance of 4 to the lone Trp214 residue. Importantly, HSA binding enhanced the cytotoxicity of 4 and correlated well with the HSA binding data. Our results consistently indicate that [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L4)2]Cl2 is quite promising as a prospective metallodrug for cancer chemotherapy.
In the search for new metal-based drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease, the most widespread Latin American parasitic disease, novel complexes of the bioactive ligand risedronate (Ris, (1-hydroxy-1-phosphono-2-pyridin-3-yl-ethyl)phosphonate), [MII(Ris)2]·4H2O, where M Cu, Co, Mn and Ni, and [NiII(Ris)2(H2O)2]·H2O were synthesized and characterized by using analytical measurements, thermogravimetric analyses, cyclic voltammetry and infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Crystal structures of [CuII(Ris)2]·4H2O and [NiII(Ris)2(H2O)2]·H2O were solved by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The complexes, as well as the free ligand, were evaluated in vitro against epimastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of the parasite T. cruzi, causative agent of Chagas disease. Results demonstrated that the coordination of risedronate to different metal ions improved the antiproliferative effect against Trypanosoma cruzi, exhibiting growth inhibition values against the intracellular amastigotes ranging the low micromolar levels. In addition, this strong activity could be related to high inhibition of farnesyl diphosphate synthase enzyme. On the other hand, protein interaction studies showed that all the complexes strongly interact with albumin thus providing a suitable means of transporting them to tissues in vivo.
In the search for new metal-based drugs against diseases produced by trypanosomatid parasites, four organoruthenium(II) compounds [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L)2]X2, where L are bioactive 5-nitrofuryl-containing thiosemicarbazones and X = Cl or PF6, had been previously obtained. These compounds had shown activity on Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of African trypanosomiasis. Because of genomic similarities between trypanosomatides, these ruthenium compounds were evaluated, in the current work, on Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). Two of them showed significant in vitro growth inhibition activity against the infective trypomastigote form of T. cruzi (Dm28c clone, IC50 = 11.69 and 59.42 μM for [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L4)2]Cl2 and [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L1)2]Cl2, respectively, where HL4 = 5-nitrofuryl-N-phenylthiosemicarbazone and HL1 = 5-nitrofurylthiosemicarbazone), showing fairly good selectivities toward trypanosomes with respect to mammalian cells (J774 murine macrophages). Moreover, [Ru2(p-cymene)2(L2)2]Cl2, where HL2 = 5-nitrofuryl-N-methylthiosemicarbazone, was synthesized in order to evaluate the effect of improved solubility on biological behavior. This new chloride salt showed higher activity against T. cruzi than that of the previously synthesized hexafluorophosphate one (Dm28c clone, IC50 = 14.30 μM for the former and 231.3 μM for the latter). In addition, the mode of antitrypanosomal action of the organoruthenium compounds was investigated. The complexes were not only able to generate toxic free radicals through bioreduction but they also interacted with two further potential parasite targets: DNA and cruzipain, a cysteine protease which plays a fundamental role in the biological cycle of these parasites. The results suggest a "multi-target" mechanism of trypanosomicidal action for the obtained complexes.
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