Albumin is the most abundant protein in human serum and drugs that are administered intravenously inevitably interact with it. We present here a series of platinum(IV) prodrugs designed specifically to enhance interaction with human serum albumin (HSA) for drug delivery. This goal is achieved by asymmetrically functionalizing the axial ligands of the prodrug so as to mimic the overall features of a fatty acid. Systematic variation of the length of the aliphatic tail tunes the cellular uptake and, consequently, the cytotoxicity of cis,cis,trans-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2(O2CCH2CH2COOH)(OCONHR)], 4, where R is a linear alkyl group. Investigation of an analog bearing a fluorophore conjugated to the succinate ligand confirmed that these compounds are reduced by biological reductants with loss of the axial ligands. Intracellular release of cisplatin from 4 was further confirmed by observing the characteristic effects of cisplatin on cell cycle and morphology following treatment with the prodrug. The most potent member of series 4, for which R is a hexadecyl chain, interacts with HSA in a 1:1 stoichiometry to form the platinum-protein complex 7. The interaction is non-covalent and extraction with octanol completely removes the prodrug from an aqueous solution of HSA. Construct 7 is robust and can be isolated following fast protein liquid chromatography. The nature of the tight interaction was investigated computationally and these studies suggest that the prodrug is buried below the surface of the protein. Consequently, complexation to HSA is able to reduce the rate of reduction of the prodrug by ascorbate. The lead compound from series 4 also exhibited significant stability in whole human blood, attributed to its interaction with HSA. This favorable redox profile, in conjunction with the established non-immunogenicity, biocompatibility, and enhanced tumor accumulation of HSA, produces a system that holds significant therapeutic potential.

The cellular response evoked by anti-proliferating osmium(VI) nitrido compounds of general formula OsN(N^N)Cl3 (N^N = 2,2′-bipyridine 1, 1,10-phenanthroline 2, 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline 3, or 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline 4) can be tuned by subtle ligand modifications. Complex 2 induces DNA damage, resulting in activation of the p53 pathway, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, and caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death. In contrast, 4 evokes ER stress leading to the upregulation of proteins of the unfolded protein response pathway, increase in ER size, and p53-independent apoptotic cell death. To the best of our knowledge, 4 is the first osmium compound to induce ER stress in cancer cells.

Rhenium(V) oxo complexes of general formula [ReO(OMe)(N^N)Cl2], where N^N = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 1, or 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 2, effectively kill cancer cells by triggering necroptsosis, a non-apoptotic form of cell death. Both complexes evoke necrosome (RIP1-RIP3)-dependent intracellular ROS production and propidium iodide uptake. The complexes also induce mitochondrial membrane potential depletion, a possible downstream effect of ROS production. Apparently, 1 and 2 are the first rhenium complexes to evoke cellular events consistent with programmed necrosis in cancer cells. Furthermore, 1 and 2 display low acute toxicity in C57BL/6 mice and reasonable stability in fresh human blood.

The effect of the novel and potent monofunctional platinum(II) agent phenanthriplatin on Escherichia coli and bacteriophage λ lysogens is reported. E. coli filamentation was observed by light microscopy when cells were grown in the presence of phenanthriplatin, cis-[Pt(NH3)2(Am)Cl]+ where Am is phenanthridine. Treatment of lysogenic bacteria with this compound resulted in lysis and the production of viral particles, as indicated by plaque formation in a bacterial lawn. The results obtained with phenanthriplatin are contextualized by comparison with those obtained using cisplatin as well as other, less active, monofunctional compounds such as [Pt(NH3)3Cl]+ and cis-[Pt(NH3)2(py)Cl]+, where py is pyridine. The ability of phenanthriplatin to induce bacterial filamentation and initiate lysis in lysogenic bacteria corroborates the hypothesis that the biological activity of this complex is mediated by its interaction with DNA.

Two new cyclic depsipeptides, 1962A (1) and 1962B (2), along with the three known cyclodipeptides cyclo-(Leu-Tyr) (3), cyclo-(Phe-Gly) (4), and cyclo-(Leu-Leu) (5) were isolated from the fermentation broth of the mangrove endophytic fungus (No. 1962) isolated from an old leaf of Kandelia candel collected in Hong Kong. Through spectroscopic experimentation, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and acid hydrolysis followed by chiral HPLC analysis, their structures were established to be 1962A, cyclo-(D-Leu-Gly-L-Tyr-L-Val-Gly-S-O-Leu) (1), and 1962B, cyclo-(D-Leu-Gly-L-Phe-L-Val-Gly-S-O-Leu) (2), respectively. Both of these new cyclo-depsipeptides were found to contain one d-amino acid. In the MTT bioassay, 1962A (1) showed weak activity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

The effect of a newly developed osmium(VI) nitrido complex, 1, on breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) is reported. The complex displays selective toxicity for HMLER breast cancer cells enriched with CD44-positive, CSC-like cells over the same cells having reduced CSC character. Remarkably, 1 also reduces the proportion of CSCs within a heterogeneous breast cancer cell population and irreversibly inhibits the formation of free-floating mammospheres to an extent similar to that of salinomycin, a natural product that targets CSCs. Detailed mechanistic studies reveal that in breast cancer cells 1 induces DNA damage and endoplasmic reticulum stress, the latter being responsible for the CSC selectivity. The anti-CSC properties of 1 provide a strong impetus for the development of new metal-based compounds to target CSCs and to treat chemotherapy-resistant and relapsed tumors.

A bioassay-guided fractionation and chemical examination of the soft coral Sinularia flexibilis resulted in the isolation and characterization of sinulaflexiolides A-K (1-11), along with sinulariolone (12), 5-dehydrosinularolide (13), capillolide (14), sinulariolide (15), 5,8-epoxy-9-acetoxysinulariolide (16), flexibilide (17), dihydroflexibilide (18), and the enantiomer of 14-deoxycrassin (19). Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic (IR, MS, 2D NMR) data analysis and by comparison with spectroscopic data reported in the literature. Sinulaflexiolides D and E showed selective inhibitory activity against the gastric gland carcinoma cell line BGC-823 at 8.5 and 0.12 microM, respectively.

The phytochemical investigation of the stem of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza yielded five new aromatic compounds (1-5), of which the bruguierols A - C (1-3) represent a new structural skeleton in natural product chemistry. All structures have been determined by NMR spectroscopic studies. Among them, 3 showed moderate activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including mycobacteria and resistant strains (MICs 12.5 microg/mL).