Design, Synthesis, Electrochemical, and Biological Evaluation of Fluorescent Chlorido[ N, N'-bis(methoxy/hydroxy)salicylidene-1,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylenediamine]iron(III) Complexes as Anticancer Agents

J Med Chem. 2023 Dec 14;66(23):15916-15925. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01359. Epub 2023 Nov 27.

Abstract

The impact of methoxy and hydroxyl groups at the salicylidene moiety of chlorido[N,N'-bis(methoxy/hydroxy)salicylidene-1,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)ethylenediamine]iron(III) complexes was evaluated on human MDA-MB 231 breast cancer and HL-60 leukemia cells. Methoxylated complexes (C1-C3) inhibited proliferation, migration, and metabolic activity in a concentration-dependent manner following the rank order: C2 > C3 > C1. In particular, C2 was highly cytotoxic with an IC50 of 4.2 μM which was 6.6-fold lower than that of cisplatin (IC50 of 27.9 μM). In contrast, hydroxylated complexes C4-C6 were almost inactive up to the highest concentration tested due to lack of cellular uptake. C2 caused a dual mode of cell death, ferroptosis, and necroptosis, whereby at higher concentrations, ferroptosis was the preferred form. Ferroptotic morphology and the presence of ferrous iron and lipid reactive oxygen species proved the involvement of ferroptosis. C2 was identified as a promising lead compound for the design of drug candidates inducing ferroptosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry
  • Ethylenediamines / chemistry
  • Ethylenediamines / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Iron* / chemistry

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ethylenediamines
  • Iron
  • Coordination Complexes