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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Chemiluminescence-based Assays for Detection of Nitric Oxide and its Derivatives from Autoxidation and Nitrosated Compounds
Published on: February 16, 2022
Cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and subcellular localization of a nitrogen oxide and aminopropyl-β-lactose derivative
Joicy Santamalvina Dos Santos1, Loyanne C Ramos2, Lucimara P Ferreira3
1Departamento de Física e Química, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Zeferino Vaz s/n, CEP, 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Departamento de Química Geral e Inorgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Geremoabo, 147, Campus Universitário de Ondina, C.E.P. 40.170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Abstract:
This work investigates how the luminescent ruthenium-nitrite complexes cis-[Ru(py-bodipy)(dcbpy)2(NO2)](PF6) (I) and cis-[Ru(py-bodipy)(dcbpy-aminopropyl-β-lactose)2(NO2)](PF6) (II) behave toward the melanoma cancer cell line B16F10. The chemical structure and purity of the synthesized complexes were analyzed by UV-Visible and FTIR spectroscopy, MALDI, HPLC, and 1H NMR. Spectrofluorescence helped to determine the fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes of each of these complexes. In vitro MTT cell viability assay on B16F10 cancer cells revealed that the complexes possibly have a tumoricidal role. The metal-nitrite complexes evidenced the dichotomous NO nature: at high concentration, NO exerted a tumoricidal effect, whereas cancer cells grew at low NO concentration. Flow cytometry or fluorescence microscopy aided cellular uptake calculation. Cell staining followed by fluorescence microscopy associated with organelle markers such as DAPI and Rhodamine 123 detected preferential intracellular localization of the ruthenium-nitrite py-bodipy and aminopropyl lactose derivative ruthenium complex in mitochondria. Thus, the cytotoxicity of compounds (I) and (II) against B16F10 cancer cell line show concentration-dependent results. The present studies suggest that nitric oxide ruthenium derivative compounds could be new potential chemotherapeutic agents against cytotoxic cells.
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