Cytotoxicity and anti-tumor effects of new ruthenium complexes on triple negative breast cancer cells

PLoS One. 2017 Sep 12;12(9):e0183275. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183275. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive breast cancer subtype. The high rate of metastasis associated to the fact that these cells frequently display multidrug resistance, make the treatment of metastatic disease difficult. Development of antitumor metal-based drugs was started with the discovery of cisplatin, however, the severe side effects represent a limitation for its clinical use. Ruthenium (Ru) complexes with different ligands have been successfully studied as prospective antitumor drugs. In this work, we demonstrated the activity of a series of biphosphine bipyridine Ru complexes (1) [Ru(SO4)(dppb)(bipy)], (2) [Ru(CO3)(dppb)(bipy)], (3) [Ru(C2O4)(dppb)(bipy)] and (4) [Ru(CH3CO2)(dppb)(bipy)]PF6 [where dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine], on proliferation of TNBC (MDA-MB-231), estrogen-dependent breast tumor cells (MCF-7) and a non-tumor breast cell line (MCF-10A). Complex (4) was most effective among the complexes and was selected to be further investigated on effects on tumor cell adhesion, migration, invasion and in apoptosis. Moreover, DNA and HSA binding properties of this complex were also investigated. Results show that complex (4) was more efficient inhibiting proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells over non-tumor cells. In addition, complex (4) was able to inhibit MDA-MB231 cells adhesion, migration and invasion and to induce apoptosis and inhibit MMP-9 secretion in TNBC cells. Complex (4) should be further investigated in vivo in order to stablish its potential to improve breast cancer treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Adhesion / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry
  • Coordination Complexes / pharmacology*
  • Coordination Complexes / toxicity
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Ruthenium / chemistry
  • Ruthenium / pharmacology*
  • Ruthenium / toxicity
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms
  • Tumor Stem Cell Assay

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Ruthenium
  • DNA

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP 2013/00798-2 and 2015/24940-8); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.