Anticancer behavior of cyclometallated iridium(III)-tributyltin(IV) carboxylate schiff base complexes with aggregation-induced emission

• Published in: Journal of inorganic biochemistry 2025-01, Vol.262, p.112767, Article 112767
• Main Authors: Liu, Xicheng, Sun, Yiwei, Gao, Yuan, Zhang, Xinru, Li, Xiaoshuang, Zheng, Wenya, Liu, Mengxian, Zhao, Ting, Yuan, Xiang-Ai, Yue, Mingbo, Liu, Zhe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A549 Cells; AIE; Anticancer; Antineoplastic Agents - chemical synthesis; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Apoptosis - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Coordination Complexes - chemical synthesis; Coordination Complexes - chemistry; Coordination Complexes - pharmacology; Cyclometallated iridium(III) complex; Humans; Iridium - chemistry; Iridium - pharmacology; Mitochondria - drug effects; Mitochondria - metabolism; Non‑platinum drugs; Organotin Compounds - chemical synthesis; Organotin Compounds - chemistry; Organotin Compounds - pharmacology; Organotin(IV) compound; Schiff base; Schiff Bases - chemistry; Schiff Bases - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0162-0134; 1873-3344; 1873-3344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112767

Cyclometallated iridium(III) and organotin(IV) carboxylate complexes have shown potential application value in the field of anticancer. However, the widespread aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect of these complexes is not conducive to the exploration of their targeting and anticancer mechanism, and the idea of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect can effectively solve this problem. Then, AIE-activated cyclometallated iridium(III)-tributyltin(IV) carboxylate Schiff base complexes were designed and prepared in this study. Complexes exhibited AIE effect in highly concentrated solution or aggregative state, which facilitated the investigation of subcellular tissue targeting (mitochondria) and cell morphology. Compared with cyclometallated iridium(III) complex and tributyltin(IV) carboxylate monomers, these complexes showed the better in-vitro anti-proliferative activity toward A549 cells, confirming the favorable synergistic anticancer activity. Even for A549/DDP (cisplatin-resistance) cells, these complexes also exhibited the better activity. In addition, complexes showed a mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Therefore, cyclometallated iridium(III)-tributyltin(IV) carboxylate Schiff base complexes can be used as the potential substitutes for platinum-based drugs and gain further application. Aggregation-induced emission-activated cycloiridium(III)-tributyltin(IV) complexes showed a mitochondrial apoptotic anticancer pathway. [Display omitted] •Cycloiridium(III)-tributyltin (IV) carboxylates were prepared.•Compounds showed aggregation-induced emission property.•Compounds showed the better anti-proliferative activity than cisplatin.•Compounds followed a mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.