Design, physico-chemical characterization and in vitro biological activity of organogold(III) glycoconjugates

To develop new metal-based glycoconjugates as potential anticancer agents, four organometallic gold(iii)-dithiocarbamato glycoconjugates of the type [AuIII(2-Bnpy)(SSC-Inp-GlcN)](PF6) (2-Bnpy: 2-benzylpyridine; Inp: isonipecotic moiety; GlcN: amino-glucose scaffold;Au3-Au6) and the corresponding model non-glycosylated counterparts [AuIII(2-Bnpy)(SSC-Inp-R)](PF6) (R: OEt (Au1), NH2(Au2)) have been generated and characterized by means of several analytical techniques (elemental analysis, FT-IR,1H-/13C-NMR, ESI-MS, UV-Vis, X-ray crystallography). Their stability under physiologically-relevant conditions (PBS solution) andn-octanol/PBS distribution coefficient (D7.4) have also been evaluated. Gold(iii) glycoconjugates showed an antiproliferative effect against ovarian carcinoma A2780 cells, with GI50values in the low micromolar range. Remarkably, their cell growth inhibitory effect increases upon the addition of a glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) inhibitor, thus ruling out the involvement of ...