BQ-AurIPr: a redox-active anticancer Au( <scp>i</scp> ) complex that induces immunogenic cell death
Ravindra D. Mule, Akhilesh Kumar, Shashank P. Sancheti, Beeran Senthilkumar, Himanshu Kumar, Nitin T. Patil
Abstract
]quinolizinium-based Au(i) complexes through an intramolecular amino-auration reaction of pyridino-alkynes. We tested 40 candidates and successfully identified BQ-AurIPr as a novel redox-active Au(i) complex with potent anticancer properties. BQ-AurIPr efficiently triggered generation of DAMPs - the hallmarks of ICD - and was superior in terms of efficiency compared to FDA-approved drugs known to induce ICD. BQ-AurIPr significantly increased immunogenicity of cancer cells enhancing their phagocytosis when co-cultured with immune cells. Our investigation reveals that BQ-AurIPr induces oxidative stress inside mitochondria leading to mitophagy, as the mechanism for immunogenic cell death in A549 cells.