Cytotoxic effects of selected gold(III) complexes on the murine BCL-1B lineage leukaemia cell line

Abstract

In recent years, gold(III) complexes have attracted great interest because of their cytotoxicity to cancer cells. We investigated the cytotoxic effects of three newly synthesised gold(III) complexes, [Au(en)Cl2]+ (dichloride (ethylendiamine) aurate(III)-ion), [Au(dach)Cl2] (dichloride (1,2- diaminocyclohexane) aurate(III)-ion) and [Au(bipy)Cl2]+ (dichloride (2,2'-bipyridyl) aurate(III)-ion), on the murine BCL-1 B lineage leukaemia cell line. The cytotoxicity of these gold(III) complexes was evaluated by cytotoxic assay (MTT test). The results showed that all of the tested gold(III) complexes displayed a cytotoxic effect on BCL-1 cells. The concentration decrease was followed by a marked increase in BCL-1 cell viability. At a concentration of 125 μM, which we suppose could be used in vivo, the [Au(bipy)Cl2]+ complex showed the greatest cytotoxic effects among the tested gold(III) complexes and similar cytotoxicity asto the cisplatinum that we used as control. Among the tested gold(III) complexes, [Au(en)Cl2]+ was the least cytotoxic to BCL-1 cells. In line with the obtained results, we suggest that the [Au(bipy)Cl2]+ complex should be tested in vivo in experimental models of B cell leukemia.