title: Metal-NHC complexes: a survey of anti-cancer properties.
abstract: New weapons to fight cancer are constantly needed. Among chemotherapeutics, anti-cancer metal-drugs have enjoyed a long and successful history since the discovery of the benchmark cisplatin. Advances in metal-drug discovery have motivated chemists to build plethora of complex structures. Among them, a novel area is emerging. This article presents a survey of the metal-N-Heterocyclic Carbenes (Ag(I), Au(I), Pd(II) and Cu(I)-NHCs) as potential anti-cancer agents. Most of the metal-NHCs considered display higher cytotoxicities than the reference metallo-drug cisplatin. Some of them are even selective for particular cell lines. Their mechanisms of action at the cellular level are further discussed, showing that the nature of the metal is of great importance. All these promising results demonstrate that this approach deserves more attention and work.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR 6504, F-63177, Aubière CEDEX, France.
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Teyssot
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jarrousse
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manin
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chevry
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Norre
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahiou
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gautier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C030011:carbene; D008697:Methane