Studies on the cytotoxic, apoptotic and antitumoral effects of Au(III) and Pt(II) complexes of 1, 10-phenanthroline on V79 379A and A549 cell lines

Figures & data

Figure 1.  (A–D). Comparison between [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl and Pt(phen)Cl2 cytotoxic activity on A549 and V79 379A cell lines as determined in the MTT assay. Dose-response curves of the antiproliferative effect of compounds for MTT assays performed after 24, 48 and 72 h exposures. The results are expressed as the mean ± SD. *Indicates significant difference from the control group by the Tukey test (p < 0.05). (A) [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl on A549, (B) Pt(phen)Cl2 on A549, (C) [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl on V79 379A, (B) Pt(phen)Cl2 on V79 379A cells.

Figure 2.  Percentage soft agar colony forming efficacy of A549 cells treated with Pt(phen)Cl2 and [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl (20–40 and 80 µM). Results of mean three different experiments. *Indicates significant difference from the control group by the Tukey test (p < 0.05).

Figure 3.  Chromatin condensation and observation of apoptotic bodies on V79 379A cell cultures evaluated after 12 h, stained with DAPI. (A) Control. (B) Cells treated with DMSO. (C-D-E-F-G) Cells treated with Pt(phen)Cl2 2,5-5-10-20-40-80 µM, respectively. (C’-D’-E’-F’-G’-) Cells treated with [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl 2,5-5-10-20-40-80 µM, respectively. Arrows show classical apoptotic bodies. Scale bars 20 µm.

Figure 4.  Chromatin condensation and observation of apoptotic bodies on A549 cell cultures evaluated after 12 h, stained with DAPI. (A) Control. (B) Cells treated with DMSO. (C-D-E-F-G) Cells treated with Pt(phen)Cl2 2,5-5-10-20-40-80 µM, respectively. (C’-D’-E’-F’-G’) Cells treated with [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl 2,5-5-10-20-40-80 µM, respectively. Arrows show classical apoptotic bodies. Scale bars 20 µM.

Figure 5.  A549 and V79 379A cells were treated with [Au(phen)Cl2]Cl (40 µM) and Pt(phen)Cl2 (40 µM) compounds for 12 h. Caspase-3 activity was determined using caspase assay kit obtained from R&D and used according to the protocol of the manufacturer. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. The significance was determined using Tukey test (*p < 0.05 vs. untreated control).