A novel cytotoxic ternary copper(II) complex of 1,10-phenanthroline and l-threonine with DNA nuclease activity

Abstract: A novel ternary copper(II) complex, [Cu(phen)(l-Thr)(H2O)](ClO4) (phen=1,10-phenanthroline, l-Thr=l-threonine), has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The complex crystallized in a triclinic system with space group , a=7.526(15) Å, b=11.651(2) Å, c=12.127(2) Å, α=115.41(3)°, β=102.34(3)° and γ=91.33(3)°. The copper(II) center is situated in a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. At a concentration of 10−6 mol L−1, the complex exhibited potent cytotoxic effects against human leukemia cell line HL-60 and human stomach cancer cell line SGC-7901 with inhibition rates of over 90%, however, less pronounced effects were observed for human liver carcinoma cell line BEL-7402 and human non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A-549. The complex was shown to bind DNA by intercalation and cleave pBR322 DNA in the presence of ascorbate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]