bathocuproine disulfonic acid

Bathocuproine disulfonic acid (BCS) is a water-soluble, membrane-impermeant copper chelator widely utilized in biochemical and cell biology research. It exhibits high affinity for copper ions, specifically the Cu+ form, sequestering them to prevent their cellular uptake and participation in redox-active processes. In the field of oncology research, BCS is frequently employed as a tool to study and inhibit cuproptosis—a regulated cell death pathway triggered by copper-dependent protein aggregation in the mitochondria. By chelating extracellular copper, BCS can counteract the cytotoxic effects of copper-transporting ionophores such as elesclomol. While it is a standard laboratory reagent for investigating copper homeostasis, it is also used in preclinical models, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) xenografts, to elucidate the role of copper metabolism in tumor progression and to validate therapeutic targets.

Other names

2,9-Dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthrolinedisulfonic acidBathocuproinedisulfonateBathocuproinedisulfonic acid disodium salt