%A Dabiri,Yasamin %A Abu el Maaty,Mohamed A. %A Chan,Hoi Yin %A Wölker,Jessica %A Ott,Ingo %A Wölfl,Stefan %A Cheng,Xinlai %D 2019 %J Frontiers in Oncology %C %F %G English %K Apoptosis,Colorecta cancer,p73,p21,p53,Gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complex %Q %R 10.3389/fonc.2019.00438 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2019-May-29 %9 Original Research %# %! Gold Complex Suppresses CRC Cell Viability %* %< %T p53-Dependent Anti-Proliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of a Gold(I) N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Complex in Colorectal Cancer Cells %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2019.00438 %V 9 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 2234-943X %X The tumor suppressor p53 has a diverse mutational profile in human malignancies, which is known to influence the potency of various chemotherapeutics, such as platins and anti-metabolites. However, the impact of the mutations in the TP53 gene (coding for p53) on the anti-cancer efficacy of gold complexes remains incompletely understood. We therefore investigated the anti-tumor properties of a gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex–termed MC3–in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines encompassing three different p53 variations: HCT116 wild-type (WT), HCT116 p53−/−, and HT-29 (mutant; R273H). MC3 treatment induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and p21 expression, leading to cell cycle arrest in all cell lines, regardless of their p53 status. The pro-apoptotic response, however, was found to occur in a p53-dependent manner, with WT p53 harboring cells showing the highest responsiveness. Additionally, p73, which was speculated to substitute p53 in p53-deficient cells, was found to be markedly reduced with MC3 treatment in all the cell lines and knocking down its levels did not impact MC3's anti-tumor effects in HCT116 p53−/− cells. Collectively, our results suggest that this small molecule has anti-cancer properties in the context of deficient or mutant p53 and may therefore have chemotherapeutic potential for clinical application.