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Copper Complexes: Main Mechanisms as Anticancer Agents.

Adriana Corina Hangan1, Luminița Simona Oprean1, Lucia Maria Procopciuc2

  • 1Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 14, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Copper complexes are vital in medicinal chemistry, showing promise as antitumor agents. This review details their mechanisms of action, including DNA interaction and cuproptosis, for developing new cancer therapies.

Keywords:
DNA cleavagecopper complexescuproptosismedicinal inorganic chemistryproteasome inhibitorstopoisomerases inhibitors

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Area of Science:

  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Copper is essential for biological redox reactions and metabolic processes.
  • Copper complexes are increasingly studied for their medicinal properties.
  • DNA-metal interactions, similar to cisplatin, are a primary focus for copper complex research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of action of copper complexes in antitumor activity.
  • To explore both established and novel pathways, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cuproptosis.
  • To highlight the ongoing interest in copper complexes for cancer treatment development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent decades' research on copper complexes.
  • Analysis of studies investigating copper complex interactions with biological targets, particularly DNA.
  • Examination of documented antitumor mechanisms, including ROS generation and cuproptosis.

Main Results:

  • Copper complexes exhibit diverse antitumor mechanisms.
  • Established mechanisms involve DNA interaction and ROS production.
  • Emerging mechanisms like cuproptosis are being identified and studied.

Conclusions:

  • Copper complexes represent a promising class of compounds for cancer therapy.
  • Understanding their diverse mechanisms of action is crucial for developing novel antitumor agents.
  • Continued research into copper complex mechanisms, including cuproptosis, is essential for advancing cancer treatment.