Promising heterometallic compounds as anticancer agents: Recent studies in vivo

Javier E López-Hernández; Maria Contel

doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102250

Promising heterometallic compounds as anticancer agents: Recent studies in vivo

Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2023 Feb:72:102250. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102250. Epub 2022 Dec 23.

Authors

Javier E López-Hernández¹, Maria Contel²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, The City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA; Brooklyn College Cancer Center BCCC-CURE, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA; Biochemistry, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, 11006, USA.
² Department of Chemistry, The City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA; Brooklyn College Cancer Center BCCC-CURE, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11210, USA; Biochemistry, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, 11006, USA; Chemistry, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, 11006, USA; Biology PhD Programs, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 365 5th Avenue, New York, 11006, USA. Electronic address: mariacontel@brooklyn.cuny.edu.

Abstract

Over the past decade, interest on multitarget anticancer drugs -including heterometallic compounds-has increased considerably. Heterometallic species display improved efficacy and physicochemical properties compared to the individual metallic fragments for a variety of metal pair combinations. By 2018, several compounds had emerged as promising candidates against cisplatin resistant cancers. Here, we summarize research contributions to this topic over the past four years (July 2018-July 2022). In particular, we highlight five articles reporting on the in vivo activity and preliminary mechanisms of action for five groups of compounds. From this selection, we further feature two families of compounds based on Pt(IV)-Gd(III) and Ti(IV)-Au(I) metal combinations, given their potential for clinical translation.

Keywords: Anticancer agents; Bimetallic molecules; Mechanisms; Mice models; Multitarget therapy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
Neoplasms* / drug therapy

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents

Grants and funding

SC1 GM127278/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States