Anti-cancer activities of metal-based complexes by regulating the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway and apoptosis-related factors Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-9 to inhibit angiogenesis and induce apoptosis

Metallomics. 2020 Jan 29;12(1):92-103. doi: 10.1039/c9mt00248k.

Abstract

Three novel single crystals of the metal-based complexes Cu-1, Cu-2, and Co-1 were obtained and characterized. Compared with Cu-2 and Co-1, Cu-1 showed remarkable activities of anti-cervical cancer, anti-cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer and anti-angiogenesis by downregulating the expressions of important proteins in the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway to inhibit angiogenesis and cancer cell proliferation, induce apoptosis, and suppress migration and metastasis. Moreover, Cu-1 dramatically inhibited the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and up-regulated the expressions of the proapoptotic proteins caspase-9 and Bax to induce the apoptosis of tumor cells, simultaneously decreasing the density of endothelial cells to inhibit tumor angiogenesis in cisplatin-resistant tumors.

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Apoptosis
  • Blotting, Western
  • Caspase 9 / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chick Embryo
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Female
  • HeLa Cells
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / drug effects
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / metabolism*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / genetics
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • bcl-2-Associated X Protein
  • KDR protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2
  • Caspase 9