Enhancing the copper(II) complexes cytotoxicity to cancer cells through bound to human serum albumin

Abstract

We use Schiff-base salicylaldehyde benzoylhydrazone (HL) as the ligand for copper(II), resulting in the complexes [CuCl(L)]·H2O (C1), [CuNO3(L)]·H2O (C2) and [CuBr(L)]2 (C3). We characterize the Cu(II) compounds' interactions with human serum albumin (HSA) using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking. These studies revealed that Cu(II) compounds propensity bound to IIA subdomain of HSA possible by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bond. Cu(II) compounds produce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells. Complexes of HSA and copper(II) compounds enhance about 2-fold cytotoxicity in cancer cells but do not raise cytotoxicity levels in normal cells in vitro. Compared with C3 alone, HSA–C3 complex promotes HepG2 cell apoptosis and has a stronger capacity to promote cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase of HepG2.