Ruthenium(II) salicylate complexes inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis by targeting thioredoxin reductase.

Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), a major component of the thioredoxin system, makes a critical role in regulating cellular redox signaling and is found to be overexpressed in many human cancer cells. TrxR has become an attractive target for anticancer agents. In this work, three Ru(II) complexes with salicylate as ligand, [Ru(phen)(SA)] (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, SA = salicylate, 1), [Ru(dmb)(SA)] (dmb = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, 2) and [Ru(bpy)(SA)] (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, 3), were synthesized and characterized.

Cytotoxicity in vitro, cellular uptake, localization and apoptotic mechanism studies induced by ruthenium(II) complex.

Ruthenium-based complexes have been regarded as one of the most potential metal-based candidates for anticancer therapy. Herein, two ruthenium (II) methylimidazole complexes [Ru(MeIm)(4npip)] (complex 1) and [Ru(MeIm)(4mopip)] (complex 2) were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activities. The results showed that these ruthenium (II) methylimidazole complexes exhibited moderate antitumor activity comparable with cisplatin against A549, NCI-H460, MCF-7 and HepG2 human cancer cells, but with less toxicity to a human normal cell line HBE.

The induction of autophagy against mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in lung cancer cells by a ruthenium (II) imidazole complex.

In the present study, it was found that the ruthenium (II) imidazole complex [Ru(Im)4(dppz)]2+ (Ru1) could induce significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in A549 and NCI-H460 cells. Apart from the induction of apoptosis, it was reported for the first time that Ru1 induced an autophagic response in A549 and NCI-H460 cells as evidenced by the formation of autophagosomes, acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs), and the up-regulation of LC3-II. Furthermore, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by antioxidant NAC or Tiron inhibited the release of cytochrome c, caspase-3 activity, and eventually rescued cancer cells from Ru1-mediated apoptosis, suggesting that Ru1 inducing apoptosis was partially caspase 3-dependent by triggering ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction in A549 and NCI-H460 cells.

[Extraction and analysis of gracilaria gigas Harvey polysaccharides].

Gracilaria Gigas Harvey Polysaccharides (GHPS) were extracted with hot water and sedimentated with ethanol. The amount of polysaccharides was determined by phenol-H2SO4 method. The mineral elements and molecular configuration were analysed by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and infrared absorption spectrum (IR).

[Extraction and analysis of sargassum hemiphyllum polysaccharides].

Sargassum hemiphyllum polysaccharides (SHP) was extracted by thermal water method and the physical and chemical characters, the extraction rate, contents, compositions of SHP was studied. The result showed that SHP was ashen powder, water-soluble, insoluble in organic solvents. The reaction of iodide-potassium iodide was negative to evaluate that SHP was nonstarch polysaccharides.