Exploration of glycosylated-organotin(IV) complexes as anticancer drug candidates

• Organometallic compounds provide versatile platforms for anticancer drug design.
• Organotin moiety offer vital role in antiproliferative action of the compounds.
• Glycosylated ligands possess manifold donors to coordinate with metal centers.
• Glycosylated ligands improve solubility and molecular targeting of drug candidates.

The design of metal-based chemotherapeutic drugs depends on choice of ligand framework, therefore, metals incorporated in a bioactive ligand scaffold hold promise for the improved pharmacokinetic profile and better efficacy of drugs. In this context, glycosylated-organotin(IV) antitumor agents are attractive and prove the state-of-the-art design for chemotherapy due to organotin-induced cytotoxicity. In recent years, many organotin(IV) complexes with glycosylated appendage have been developed and screened in vivo and in vitro for cytotoxic properties; the results exhibited high anticancer activity which could be attributed to the fact that glucoconjugation (anticancer therapeutic entity is linked to glucosamine, glucose or other sugars) improves cancer targeting and selectivity. However, there is a scarcity of data validating the mechanism of cell uptake and in vivo pharmacokinetic response of organotin(IV) glycoconjugates. Herein, we describe new leads in the synthetic design and validation of mechanistic pathway of tumor-targeting biologically active glycosylated-organotins, with a focus on the chemical and biological developments.

This review article focuses on the rational design and synthesis of carbohydrate appended organotin(IV) complexes as anticancer drug candidates. Organotin moiety tethered to a bioactive carbohydrate pharmacophore represents a clinically relevant vehicle for delivery of anticancer drugs. The carbohydrate functionalized organotin complexes interact with cancer cells via different modes than other classical anticancer drugs leading to alternative therapeutic protocols with enhanced the cytotoxicity profile.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide