Characterization and cytotoxic effect of aqua-(2,2′,2′′-nitrilotriacetato)-oxo-vanadium salts on human osteosarcoma cells

The use of protonated N-heterocyclic compound, i.e. 2,2′-bipyridinium cation, [bpyH(+)], enabled to obtain the new nitrilotriacetate oxidovanadium(IV) salt of the stoichiometry [bpyH][VO(nta)(H(2)O)]H(2)O. The X-ray measurements have revealed that the compound comprises the discrete mononuclear [VO(nta)(H(2)O)](−) coordination ion that can be rarely found among other known compounds containing nitrilotriacetate oxidovanadium(IV) moieties. The antitumor activity of [bpyH][VO(nta)(H(2)O)]H(2)O and its phenanthroline analogue, [phenH][VO(nta)(H(2)O)](H(2)O)(0.5), towards human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63 and HOS) has been assessed (the LDH and BrdU tests) and referred to cis-Pt(NH(3))(2)Cl(2) (used as a positive control). The compounds exert a stronger cytotoxic effect on MG-63 and HOS cells than in untransformed human osteoblast cell line. Thus, the [VO(nta)(H(2)O)](−) containing coordination compounds can be considered as possible antitumor agents in the osteosarcoma model of bone-related cells in culture. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10534-017-0001-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.