Abstract

In vitro studies with the ruthenium(II) and analogous iridium(III) complexes [Ru(η6- p-cymene)Cl₂{Ph₂PCH₂CH₂CH₂S(O)_xPh-κP}], [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl{Ph2PCH2CH2CH2S(O)_xPh- κP,κS}][PF₆] (1–4), [Ir(η⁵-C₅Me₅)Cl2{Ph₂PCH₂CH₂CH2S(O)_xPh-κP}] and [Ir(η5-C5Me5)Cl{Ph2 PCH₂CH₂CH₂S(O)_xPh-κP,κS}][PF₆] (5–8; x = 0, 1) revealed the high selectivity toward the 8505C, A253, MCF-7, SW480 and 518A2 cancer cell lines. Thus, the cationic ruthenium complex 4 proved to be the most selective one. In case of the neutral and cationic ruthenium complexes 1–4 the caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death was proven as the main cause of the drug’s tumoricidal action on 8505C cell line.

Keywords: Apoptosis, autophagy, caspase, cisplatin, iridium(III) complexes, ruthenium(II) complexes.

Graphical Abstract