Breast Cancer Treatment: The Case of Gold(I)-Based Compounds as a Promising Class of Bioactive Molecules

Breast cancers (BCs) may present dramatic diagnoses, both for ineffective therapies and for the limited outcomes in terms of lifespan. For these types of tumors, the search for new drugs is a primary necessity. It is widely recognized that gold compounds are highly active and extremely potent as anticancer agents against many cancer cell lines. The presence of the metal plays an essential role in the activation of the cytotoxicity of these coordination compounds, whose activity, if restricted to the ligands alone, would be non-existent. On the other hand, gold exhibits a complex biochemistry, substantially variable depending on the chemical environments around the central metal. In this review, the scientific findings of the last 6–7 years on two classes of gold(I) compounds, containing phosphane or carbene ligands, are reviewed. In addition to this class of Au(I) compounds, the recent developments in the application of Auranofin in regards to BCs are reported. Auranofin is a triethylphosphine-thiosugar compound that, being a drug approved by the FDA—therefore extensively studied—is an interesting lead gold compound and a good comparison to understand the activities of structurally related Au(I) compounds.

Study the Gold Compound (AuCl4) in KCl using Cyclic Voltammetry by Nano Sensor

Gold compound AuCl4 used in different medical purpose especially in different diseases such as Arthritis, the study focused on the electrochemical properties of gold compound in an electrolyte (KCl solution) using modified glassy carbon electrode with carbon nanoparticles (CNT/GCE) as a good nanosensor to determine the chemical behavior of gold compound by the oxidation – reduction current peaks as appeared in the cyclic voltammogram at 115 and 500 mV respectively. It was studied in this study the different concentrations, scan rates, pH, and the reliability (stability), also the effect of ascorbic acid on the redox current peaks of the gold compound was studied. The results were discussed to promising the gold compound as a treatment in different disease in an alkaline medium because the Au(IV) compound acts as antioxidant by disappearing current peak of the oxidation and enhanced the reduction current peak.

Auranofin-Mediated NRF2 Induction Attenuates Interleukin 1 Beta Expression in Alveolar Macrophages

Background: Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are resident inflammatory cells in the lung that serve as early sentinels of infection or injury. We have identified thioredoxin reductase 1 inhibition by gold compounds increases activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-dependent pathways to attenuate inflammatory responses. The present studies utilized murine alveolar macrophages (MH-S) to test the hypothesis that the gold compound, auranofin (AFN), decreases interleukin (IL)-1β expression through NRF2-mediated interactions with nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) pathway genes and/or increases in glutathione synthesis. Methods: MH-S cells were treated with AFN and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and analyzed at 6 and 24 h. The Il1b promoter was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation for direct interaction with NRF2. Results: Expression of IL-1β, p-IκBα, p-p65 NF-kB, and NOD-, LRR-, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 were elevated by LPS exposure, but only IL-1β expression was suppressed by AFN treatment. Both AFN and LPS treatments increased cellular glutathione levels, but attenuation of glutathione synthesis by buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) did not alter expression of Il-1β. Analysis revealed direct NRF2 binding to the Il1b promoter which was enhanced by AFN and inhibited the transcriptional activity of DNA polymerase II. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that AFN-induced NRF2 activation directly suppresses IL-1β synthesis independent of NFκB and glutathione-mediated antioxidant mechanisms. NRF2 binding to the promoter region of IL1β directly inhibits transcription of the IL1β gene. Collectively, our research suggests that gold compounds elicit NRF2-dependent pulmonary protection by suppressing macrophage-mediated inflammation.

Duple extinguishment of COVID-19: single compound synergized inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication and direct suppression of inflammatory cytokines in vitro/vivo

The virus replication and lung inflammation are basic targets for COVID-19 treatment. To effectively treat COVID-19, the best chemical drug should combine inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication and direct suppression of inflammatory cytokine expression together. Our SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) crystal structure studies revealed Au(I), derived from auranofin (AF) or gold cluster (GA), could specifically bind thiolate of Cys145 of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. GA or AF could well inhibit Mpro activity and significantly decrease SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell. Cell studies showed that either AF or GA could down-regulate NFκB pathway, therefore significantly inhibit inflammatory cytokine level of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α in macrophage and bronchial epithelial cell, respectively. The lung viral load in GA treated COVID-19 mice (15mg/kg.bw) is significantly lower than that in normal saline (NS, 0.9% NaCl) treated COVID-19 mice, and pathological studies revealed GA treatment (score ~1.8) significantly reduced lung inflammatory injury compared with NS treated COVID-19 mice (score ~3). After normal mice were treated by GA (15mg/kg), the Au ingredient well distributed into lungs and there are no pathological changes in main organs when compared with control mice. The toxicity results revealed GA is more safety than auranofin for cell/mice/rat. The rat pharmacokinetics studies show GA is with high bioavailability (> 90%) in vivo.One Sentence SummarySingle gold compound not only significantly inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung and but also directly suppress lung inflammatory injury in COVID-19 mice, it is with great potential to effectively treat COVID-19.