Positive (Regulatory) and Negative (Cytotoxic) Effects of Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes on Living Organisms

The proposed in our studies mechanism of dinitrosyl iron complex (DNIC) formation through the main step of disproportionation of two NO molecules in complex with Fe2+ ion leads to emergence of the resonance structure of dinitrosyl-iron fragment of DNIC, [Fe2+(NO)(NO⁺)]. The latter allowed suggesting capacity of these complexes to function as donor of both neutral NO molecules as well as nitrosonium cations (NO⁺), which has been demonstrated in experiments. Analysis of biological activity of DNICs with thiol-containing ligands presented in this review demonstrates that NO molecules and nitrosonium cations released from the complexes exert respectively positive (regulatory) and negative (cytotoxic) effects on living organisms. It has been suggested to use dithiocarbamate derivatives to enhance selective release of nitrosonium cations from DNIC in living organisms followed by simultaneous incorporation of the released NO molecules into the biologically non-active mononitrosyl iron complexes with dithiocarbamate derivatives.