The reaction of the water soluble phosphine 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) with [Au(C≡C-C(5)H(4)N)](n) yields the highly luminescent water soluble [(PTA)Au(4-pyridylethynyl)] complex. A detailed analysis of the compound shows the formation of gel structure giving rise to very long fibers, being the first example reported with such a simple structure.

S100A4, a member of the S100 calcium-binding protein family secreted by tumor and stromal cells, supports tumorigenesis by stimulating angiogenesis. We demonstrated that S100A4 synergizes with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), via the RAGE receptor, in promoting endothelial cell migration by increasing KDR expression and MMP-9 activity. In vivo overexpression of S100A4 led to a significant increase in tumor growth and vascularization in a human melanoma xenograft M21 model. Conversely, when silencing S100A4 by shRNA technology, a dramatic decrease in tumor development of the pancreatic MiaPACA-2 cell line was observed. Based on these results we developed 5C3, a neutralizing monoclonal antibody against S100A4. This antibody abolished endothelial cell migration, tumor growth and angiogenesis in immunodeficient mouse xenograft models of MiaPACA-2 and M21-S100A4 cells. It is concluded that extracellular S100A4 inhibition is an attractive approach for the treatment of human cancer.

Gold(i) complexes are an expanding area of investigation due to the possibility of giving rise to supramolecular aggregates with particular morphologies that can be modulated together with their luminescent properties. A detailed study has been carried out for gold(i) complexes that self-assemble in aqueous media (in pure water or in mixtures of water and organic solvents in different proportions). The majority of the examples reported until now were found in mixtures of water and DMSO, acetone, DMF or acetonitrile. The addition of cations to a solution of gold(i) complexes has been observed to show a direct impact on the resulting process of aggregation. The use of perhalogenated ligands together with isocyanide moieties should be highlighted to promote the resulting self-organization. Nevertheless, other ligands like alkynyls or carbenes also promote self-assembly. A careful analysis of the data shows that aurophilic interactions have a key role in the formation of the resulting aggregates and in the enhancement of luminescence (aggregation induced emission, AIE).

The reaction of water soluble phosphine 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5- phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) with [Au(CC-C5H 4N)]n yields a luminescent water soluble phosphine gold(i) alkynyl complex [Au(4-pyridylethynyl)(DAPTA)] that leads to the formation of a luminescent hydrogel. A small variation of the phosphine structure (introduction of acetyl groups) with respect to the previously reported complex [Au(4-pyridylethynyl)(PTA)] has a clear effect on the observed properties: (i) a great increase in the hydrogel entanglement structure has been observed; (ii) the different cross-linking structures give rise to specific emission properties. The hydrogel was characterized by different techniques ( 1H-NMR, absorption and emission spectroscopy, optical microscopy, fluorescent microscopy (FM) and SEM). FM together with microspectrofluorimetry measurements has determined different emissive properties that vary according to the cross-linking process. Thermal treatments of the hydrogel produce well-defined metallic gold nanoparticles with a remarkable narrow size distribution, which have been characterized by SEM, TEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). At 200°C, Au particles measuring 1.0 ± 0.2 nm were obtained. Au nanoparticles were also formed as a result of electron beam irradiation.Postprint (published version