tetrathiomolybdate and Atherosclerosis

Metal-based drugs, also called "metallopharmaceuticals" or "metallodrugs", are examples of sophisticated compounds that have been used in inorganic medicinal chemistry as therapeutic agents for a long time. Few of them have shown substantially promising results and many of them have been used in different phases of clinical trials. The Mo-based metallodrugs were successfully applied in the past for treating conditions such as anemia or Wilson's disease. Moreover, Mo complexes are supposed to exert their effect by intercalation/ cleavage of DNA/RNA, arrest of the cell cycle, and alteration of cell membrane functions. However, in the current literature, there are no reliable and in-depth reviews about the hypothetical therapeutic applications of all of the known molybdenum complexes as metallopharmaceuticals/ metallodrugs. The main emphasis was on the in-depth review of the potential applications of Mo-based complexes in medicinal chemistry as metallopharmaceuticals in treating diseases such as cancer and tumors, Wilson's disease, diabetes mellitus, Huntington's disease, atherosclerosis, and anemia. It must be emphasized that today the development of innovative and new Mo-based metalo-pharmaceuticals is not rapid, and hence the aim of this paper was also to inspire colleagues working in the field of Mo compounds who are trying to find "signpost" for research. The authors hope that this article will increase interest and initiate the Renaissance of Mo-compounds among medicinal inorganic chemists. This paper is the first review article in the literature that refers to and emphasizes many different and complex aspects of possible applications and capabilities of Mo-based metallodrugs.

Topics: Animals; Atherosclerosis; Cell Cycle Checkpoints; Coordination Complexes; Hepatolenticular Degeneration; Humans; Huntington Disease; Molybdenum; Tungsten Compounds

Endothelial activation, which is characterized by upregulation of cellular adhesion molecules and pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, and consequent monocyte recruitment to the arterial intima are etiologic factors in atherosclerosis. Redox-active transition metal ions, such as copper and iron, may play an important role in endothelial activation by stimulating redox-sensitive cell signaling pathways. We have shown previously that copper chelation by tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) inhibits LPS-induced acute inflammatory responses in vivo. Here, we investigated whether TTM can inhibit atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice. We found that 10-week treatment of apoE-/- mice with TTM (33-66 ppm in the diet) reduced serum levels of the copper-containing protein, ceruloplasmin, by 47%, and serum iron by 26%. Tissue levels of "bioavailable" copper, assessed by the copper-to-molybdenum ratio, decreased by 80% in aorta and heart, whereas iron levels of these tissues were not affected by TTM treatment. Furthermore, TTM significantly attenuated atherosclerotic lesion development in whole aorta by 25% and descending aorta by 45% compared to non-TTM treated apoE-/- mice. This anti-atherogenic effect of TTM was accompanied by several anti-inflammatory effects, i.e., significantly decreased serum levels of soluble vascular cell and intercellular adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1); reduced aortic gene expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and pro-inflammatory cytokines; and significantly less aortic accumulation of M1 type macrophages. In contrast, serum levels of oxidized LDL were not reduced by TTM. These data indicate that TTM inhibits atherosclerosis in apoE-/- mice by reducing bioavailable copper and vascular inflammation, not by altering iron homeostasis or reducing oxidative stress.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Aorta; Aortic Diseases; Apolipoproteins E; Atherosclerosis; Biomarkers; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Ceruloplasmin; Chelating Agents; Copper; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Iron; Lipids; Liver; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Molybdenum; Myocardium