Novel heterobimetallic Ir(iii)–Re(i) complexes: design, synthesis and antitumor mechanism investigation. Issue 20 (10th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lu, Jun-Jian; Ma, Xiu-Rong; Xie, Kai; Yang, Pei-Xin; Li, Rong-Tao; Ye, Rui-Rong
• Is Part Of: Dalton transactions. Volume 51:Issue 20(2022)
• Page Start: 7907
• Page End: 7917
• Publication Date: 2022-05-10
• Subjects: Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 546.05
• DOI: 10.1039/d2dt00719c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-9226

Abstract

Abstract : Novel heterobimetallic Ir(iii )–Re(i ) complexes can specifically image lysosomes, and induce apoptosis in HeLa cells through mitochondrial damage, caspase-3 activation and cell cycle arrest. Abstract : The reasonable design of binuclear or multinuclear metal complexes has demonstrated their potential advantages in the anticancer field. Herein, three heterobimetallic Ir(iii )–Re(i ) complexes, [Ir(C^N)2 L Re(CO)3 DIP](PF6 )2 (C^N = 2-phenylpyridine (ppy, in IrRe-1 ), 2-(2-thienyl)pyridine (thpy, in IrRe-2 ) and 2-(2, 4-difluorophenyl)pyridine (dfppy, in IrRe-3 ); L = pyridylimidazo[4, 5- f ][1, 10]phenanthroline; DIP = 4, 7-diphenyl-1, 10-phenanthroline), were designed and synthesized. The heterobimetallic IrRe-1–3 complexes show pH-sensitive emission properties, which can be used for specific imaging of lysosomes. Additionally, IrRe-1–3 display higher cytotoxicity against tested tumor cell lines than the clinical chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin. Further mechanisms indicate that IrRe-1–3 can induce apoptosis and autophagy, increase intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), depolarize the mitochondrial membrane (MMP), block the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and inhibit cell migration. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of the synthesis of heterobimetallic Ir(iii )–Re(i ) complexes with superior anticancer activities and evaluation of their anticancer mechanisms.