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Abstract The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) mediates uptake of calcium ions (Ca2+) into the mitochondria, a process that is vital for maintaining normal cellular function. Inhibitors of the MCU, the most promising of which are dinuclear ruthenium coordination compounds, have found use as both therapeutic agents and tools for studying the importance of this ion channel. In this study, six Co3+cage compounds with sarcophagine‐like ligands were assessed for their abilities to inhibit MCU‐mediated mitochondrial Ca2+uptake. These complexes were synthesized and characterized according to literature procedures and then investigated in cellular systems for their MCU‐inhibitory activities. Among these six compounds, [Co(sen)]3+(3, sen=5‐(4‐amino‐2‐azabutyl)‐5‐methyl‐3,7‐diaza‐1,9‐nonanediamine) was identified to be a potent MCU inhibitor, with IC50values of inhibition of 160 and 180 nM in permeabilized HeLa and HEK293T cells, respectively. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of compound3was determined, revealing moderate accumulation in cells. Most notably,3was demonstrated to operate in intact cells as an MCU inhibitor. Collectively, this work presents the viability of using cobalt coordination complexes as MCU inhibitors, providing a new direction for researchers to investigate.
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Exploring the Impact of Head Group Modifications on the Anticancer Activities of Fatty-Acid-like Platinum(IV) Prodrugs: A Structure–Activity Relationship Study
We conducted the first comprehensive investigation on the impact of head group modifications on the anticancer activities of fatty-acid-like Pt(IV) prodrugs (FALPs), which are a class of platinum-based metallodrugs that target mitochondria. We created a small library of FALPs (1–9) with diverse head group modifications. The outcomes of our study demonstrate that hydrophilic modifications exclusively enhance the potency of these metallodrugs, whereas hydrophobic modifications significantly decrease their cytotoxicity. To further understand this interesting structure–activity relationship, we chose two representative FALPs (compounds 2 and 7) as model compounds: one (2) with a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) head group, and the other (7) with a hydrophobic hydrocarbon modification of the same molecular weight. Using these FALPs, we conducted a targeted investigation on the mechanism of action. Our study revealed that compound 2, with hydrophilic modifications, exhibited remarkable penetration into cancer cells and mitochondria, leading to subsequent mitochondrial and DNA damage, and effectively eradicating cancer cells. In contrast, compound 7, with hydrophobic modifications, displayed a significantly lower uptake and weaker cellular responses. The collective results present a different perspective, indicating that increased hydrophobicity may not necessarily enhance cellular uptake as is conventionally believed. These findings provide valuable new insights into the fundamental principles of developing metallodrugs.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2050873
- PAR ID:
- 10503849
- Publisher / Repository:
- MDPI
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences
- Volume:
- 24
- Issue:
- 17
- ISSN:
- 1422-0067
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 13301
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is the ion channel that mediates Ca2+uptake in mitochondria. Inhibitors of the MCU are valuable as potential therapeutic agents and tools to study mitochondrial Ca2+. The best‐known inhibitor of the MCU is the ruthenium compound Ru360. Although this compound is effective in permeabilized cells, it does not work in intact biological systems. We have recently reported the synthesis and characterization of Ru265, a complex that selectively inhibits the MCU in intact cells. Here, the physical and biological properties of Ru265 and Ru360 are described in detail. Using atomic absorption spectroscopy and X‐ray fluorescence imaging, we show that Ru265 is transported by organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) and taken up more effectively than Ru360. As an explanation for the poor cell uptake of Ru360, we show that Ru360 is deactivated by biological reductants. These data highlight how structural modifications in metal complexes can have profound effects on their biological activities.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241713301
