The biphosphinic paladacycle complex induces melanoma cell death through lysosomal-mitochondrial axis modulation and impaired autophagy.

Recently, palladium complexes have been extensively studied as cyclization of these complexes by cyclometallation reactions increased their stability making them promising antitumor compounds. In this study, we have investigated apoptosis induced by the Biphosphinic Paladacycle Complex (BPC11) and possible cross talk between apoptosis and autophagy in cell line models of metastatic (Tm5) and non-metastatic (4C11-) melanoma. The BPC11-induced cell death in melanoma involved the lysosomal-mitochondrial axis, which is characterized by LMP, CatB activation and increased Bax protein levels following its translocation to mitochondria.