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Published on: April 30, 2023
Cobalt(II) Diphenylazodioxide Complexes Induce Apoptosis in SK-HEP-1 Cells
Norah J Alghamdi1, Lakshmi Balaraman1, Kylin A Emhoff1
1Department of Chemistry and Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease (GRHD), Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, United States.
Abstract:
The cobalt(II) complex salts [Co(bpy)(az)2](PF6)2 and [Co(az)4](PF6), each bearing the unusual cis-N,N'-diphenylazodioxide ligand, were both screened as possible anticancer agents against SK-HEP-1 liver cancer cells. Both compounds were found to induce substantial apoptosis as an increasing function of concentration and time. Measurement of apoptosis-related proteins indicated that both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis were activated. The apoptotic activity induced by these salts is not displayed either by simple cobalt(II) salts or complexes or by the free nitrosobenzene ligand. Additionally, these compounds did not induce apoptosis, as assessed by poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase cleavage, in several other cell lines.
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