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Apoptosis-inducing ability of silver(I) cyanide-phosphines useful for anti-cancer studies

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Abstract

Metal-based drugs have shown early promise as anticancer agents suggesting the potential application of silver(I) complexes as apoptosis-inducing agents. The ability of a silver(I) cyanide containing phosphine complex to induce cell death was evaluated in both a malignant (SNO esophageal cancer) and non-malignant (HDF-a skin and HEK293 kidney) cell lines. A dose-dependent decrease in cell viability was observed in the SNO cells. Light microscopy revealed morphological features indicative of apoptotic cell death. The mode of cell death was confirmed as apoptosis by phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. Furthermore, both the non-malignant cell lines showed morphological features indicative of apoptosis when exposed to complex 1. We propose the use of this silver(I) cyanide phosphine complex as an highly effective positive apoptosis control for use in anticancer studies of phosphine complexes.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. Rehana Malgas-Enus for the synthesis and characterization of complex 1. This work was performed for the partial fulfillment for the requirements for a Ph.D. thesis of Ms Engelbrecht within the graduate program of Biochemistry at the University of Johannesburg. The authors also gratefully acknowledge financial assistance from the University of Johannesburg. This work is based on the research supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant specific unique reference number (UID) 83863). The Spectrum facility at the University of Johannesburg is acknowledged for the use of the NMR spectrometer and FACSAria flow cytometer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa

    Zelinda Human-Engelbrecht & Marianne J. Cronjé

  2. Research Centre for Synthesis and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa

    Reinout Meijboom

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  1. Zelinda Human-Engelbrecht
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  2. Reinout Meijboom
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  3. Marianne J. Cronjé
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Correspondence to Marianne J. Cronjé.

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Human-Engelbrecht, Z., Meijboom, R. & Cronjé, M.J. Apoptosis-inducing ability of silver(I) cyanide-phosphines useful for anti-cancer studies. Cytotechnology 69, 591–600 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-017-0070-y

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