Developing a novel Cu(II) complex: Crystal structure, cyclic voltammetry, biomolecular interactions, anticancer...

Area of Science:

• Coordination Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Schiff base complexes are investigated for their diverse biological activities.
• Copper(II) complexes are of interest due to their catalytic and medicinal properties.
• Understanding metal-ligand interactions with biomolecules is crucial for drug development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a new copper(II) Schiff base complex.
• To investigate the binding interactions of the complex with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA).
• To evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic activity and mechanism of action of the complex against human cancer cell lines.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization using single crystal X-ray crystallography, FTIR, NMR, ESI-MS, UV-Vis, TGA, and CV.
• Binding studies with ctDNA and BSA using UV-Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays against WI38, HCT116, and MDA-MB-231 cells, apoptosis induction analysis via flow cytometry, and Western blotting for caspase-3 and PCNA.

Main Results:

• The copper(II) complex ([Cu(L)₂]) exhibits a distorted square planar geometry.
• The complex shows stronger binding affinity to ctDNA (1.77 × 10⁵ M^-1) compared to the free ligand.
• The complex displays significant in vitro cytotoxic activity against HCT116 and MDA-MB-231 cells, inducing apoptosis and reducing metastasis, with higher selectivity than the ligand.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized copper(II) Schiff base complex effectively interacts with DNA and proteins.
• The complex demonstrates promising anticancer properties, including apoptosis induction and anti-metastatic effects.
• This copper(II) complex holds potential as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment, particularly for breast cancer.