The relationship between electrospray ionization behavior and cytotoxic activity of [M(I)(P)4](+)-type complexes (M = Cu, Ag and Au; P = tertiary phosphine).

Abstract

RATIONALE:

To try to find a correlation between the antiproliferative activity of a series of [M(I)(P)4](+) complexes (M = Cu, Ag and Au; P = tertiary phosphine) and their stability at micromolar concentration under mass spectrometric conditions.

METHODS:

[M(I)(P)4](+) complexes were investigated by positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with multiple collisional experiments using an ion trap mass spectrometer.

RESULTS:

The displacement of P from native [M(I)(P)4](+), previously described for the copper derivative, is common for the triad complexes leading to the formation of [M(P)3](+) and [M(P)2](+) adducts. Further dissociation of [M(P)2](+) depends on the nature of the metal (Cu ~ Ag > Au). More labile [Cu(P)2](+) and [Ag(P)2](+) are more cytotoxic against HCT-15 human colon carcinoma cells compared to less labile [Au(P)2](+) species.

CONCLUSIONS:

The dissociation of P ligand(s) from the [M(I)(P)4](+) complexes is the driving force for the triggering of the antiproliferative activity. The more favored is the displacement of P from the [M(P)2](+) active form, the more favored is in turn the possibility for the metal to interact with biological substrates related to cancer proliferation.

• Authors: Francesco Tisato, Laura Crociani, Marina Porchia, Plinio Di Bernardo, Francesco Endrizzi, Carlo Santini, Roberta Seraglia
• Journal: Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM (Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom) Vol. 27 Issue 17 Pg. 2019-27 (Sep 15 2013) ISSN: 1097-0231 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23939970 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chemical References

• Phosphines
• Silver
• Gold
• Copper
• phosphine

Topics

• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Copper (chemistry, toxicity)
• Gold (chemistry, toxicity)
• Humans
• Phosphines (chemistry, toxicity)
• Silver (chemistry, toxicity)
• Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
• Structure-Activity Relationship