silver(I) 2,2'-bipyridine-dppe

Silver(I) 2,2'-bipyridine-dppe refers to a class of novel experimental silver(I) coordination complexes combining a 2,2'-bipyridine ligand with a 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) phosphane coligand. These small-molecule metal coordination compounds are currently in the preclinical research stage for the treatment of cancer, specifically targeting drug-resistant ovarian and colorectal carcinomas. Unlike traditional platinum-based therapies, these silver complexes remain effective against carboplatin- and oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines and are independent of p53 status. Their primary mechanism of action is the induction of paraptosis, a non-apoptotic form of programmed cell death characterized by extensive endoplasmic reticulum-derived vacuolization, rather than the classical apoptotic pathway or thioredoxin reductase inhibition. The compounds demonstrate high tumor selectivity, showing minimal activity in non-malignant cells. This research was published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2024) by an academic consortium including the Medical University of Vienna and the Ruđer Bošković Institute.

Other names

silver(I) 2,2'-bipyridine-1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethanebipyridine-silver(I)-dppe complex