The cytotoxicity of symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis(thiosemicarbazones) and their metal complexes in murine and human tumor cells

A number of thiosemicarbazones have been tested previously and herein are included three bis(thiosemicarbazones) for comparison to the previous derivatives. In general the uncomplexed thiosemicarbazones were more potent in the cytotoxic screens than the bis(thiosemicarbazone) except in the murine L 1210 and the human colon SW480 screens. Mode of action studies have only demonstrated slight differences in the effects of the two types of compounds on nucleic acid metabolism. The symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis(thiosemicarbazones) complexes of copper, nickel, zinc, and cadmium have been examined to compare them to the heterocyclic N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones metal complexes. These new derivatives demonstrated excellent activity against the growth of suspended lymphomas and leukemias although it should be pointed out that generally they were not as active as the copper complexes of N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones. Nevertheless, selected bis(thiosemicarbazones) complexes were active against the growth of human lung MB9812, KB nasopharynx, epidermoid A431, glioma UM-86, colon SW480, ovary 1-A9, breast MCK-7, and osteosarcoma Saos-2. In human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells the complexes preferentially inhibited DNA and purine syntheses over 60 min. The regulatory enzyme of the de novo purine pathway, IMP dehydrogenase, appeared to he a major tal get of the complexes. However, minor inhibition of the activities of DNA polymerase alpha, PRPP-amido transferase, ribonucleotide reductase, and nucleoside kinases occurred over the same time period. No doubt these effects of the complexes on nucleic acid metabolism were additive since the d[NTP] pool levels were reduced after 60 min as was DNA synthesis. The symmetrical acid unsymmetrical bis(thiosemicarbazones) and their metal complexes did not cause as severe DNA fragmentation as the heterocyclic N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazone metal complexes; furthermore, their metabolic effects in the turner cell were more focused on a single synthetic pathway.