A novel ruthenium complex with xanthoxylin induces S-phase arrest and causes ERK1/2-mediated apoptosis in HepG2 cells through a p53-independent pathway.

ABSTRACT: Ruthenium-based compounds have gained great interest due to their potent cytotoxicity in cancer cells; however, much of their potential applications remain unexplored. In this paper, we report the synthesis of a novel ruthenium complex with xanthoxylin (RCX) and the investigation of its cellular and molecular action in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. We found that RCX exhibited a potent cytotoxic effect in a panel of cancer cell lines in monolayer cultures and in a 3D model of multicellular cancer spheroids formed from HepG2 cells. This compound is detected at a high concentration in the cell nuclei, induces DNA intercalation and inhibits DNA synthesis, arresting the cell cycle in the S-phase, which is followed by the activation of the caspase-mediated apoptosis pathway in HepG

SUBMITTER: de Carvalho NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5833756 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature