Gold complexes such as auronafin have been used for the treatment of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis for some decades. Since the discovery of cell growth inhibitory effects of therapeutically used gold complexes the interest in developing gold anticancer metallodrugs has been continuously increasing. Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) is an enzyme of the disulfide reductase family and is considered as a therapeutic target for various diseases including rheumatoid arthritis or cancer. Strong inhibition of TrxR by gold complexes has been reported making TrxR a critical target for gold drugs. This presentation will focus on organometallic derivatives such as gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of the benzimidazolidene type (see figure 1 for an example). Recent results on the inhibition of TrxR, antiproliferative effects, apoptosis induction or anti-mitochondrial properties will be presented.

Organometallic gold(I) complexes as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase and cancer chemotherapeutics

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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