Application of multiple parallel perfused microbioreactors: Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity testing of the novel rare earth complexes with indole acid as a ligand

•Three new lanthanide complexes were synthesized firstly.•The complexes were characterized by X-ray crystal diffraction analysis.•The biological activity was performed by multiple parallel perfused microbioreactors.•The cytotoxicity was examined by flow-cytometric analysis.

Three novel complexes, [La(phen)2(IAA)2]·NO3 (1), [Sm(phen)2(IAA)2]·NO3 (2) and [Sm(IBA)3(phen)]·phen·HNO3·H2O (3) (phen: 1,10-phenanthroline, IAA: indole-3-acetic acid, IBA: indole-3-butyric acid), were synthesized and characterized with spectroscopy (infrared and UV–visible), X-ray crystal diffraction and elemental analysis. Structural analysis revealed that each lanthanide atom in complexes 1–3 held a distorted tricapped trigonal prism geometry in a nine-coordinate mode. There were two types of coordination modes of the IAA ligand in complexes 1 and 2: a μ2–η1:η2 bridging mode linking two lanthanide atoms and a μ2–η1:η1 double monodentate bridging mode. There were three types of coordination modes of the IBA ligand: a μ2–η1:η1 double monodentate bridging mode, a μ1–η2 bridging mode and a μ2–η1:η2 bridging mode linking two lanthanide atoms. Adjacent Sm atoms were linked via the μ2-bridging carboxylate groups of the IBA ligands to generate a binuclear building unit. The biological activity of the complexes was evaluated in human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hADSCs) and Chang liver cells using a multiple parallel perfused microbioreactor. The results showed that cytotoxicity increased as the concentrations of complexes 1–3 increased.

Graphical abstractThe molecular structure, merged sample images with 10 μM treated for 48 h stained with AO (acridine orange)/EB (ethidium bromide) staining, summary of AO mean fluorescent intensities under different conditions and summary of EB means fluorescent intensities under different conditions for complex 2.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide