# The Synthesis, Metal Exchange, and Hyaluronate Functionalization of a Cationic Gallium-Based Thiosemicarbazone Anticancer Drug

## TL;DR

A new cationic gallium-based anticancer drug is synthesized and functionalized with hyaluronate to improve solubility and targeting, showing strong cancer cell toxicity.

## Contribution

A novel cationic gallium-based thiosemicarbazone complex is synthesized and functionalized for enhanced anticancer activity and cell targeting.

## Key findings

- The gallium complex [Ga(L)2]NO3 forms with an octahedral Ga(III) center and can exchange with Fe2+ and Fe3+.
- Functionalization with sodium hyaluronate boosts solubility and targeting, with [Ga(L)2]A showing strong in vitro cytotoxicity.
- The nanoformulation [Ga(L)2]A has IC50 values between 0.102–2.616 μmol L−1 against lung and esophageal cancer cell lines.

## Abstract

We herein demonstrate that the thiosemicarbazone (TSC) ligand N′-(di(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)-4-(thiazol-2-yl)piperazine-1-carbothiohydrazide (HL) can coordinate with Ga3+ to give cationic complex [Ga(L)2]NO3 featuring an octahedral Ga(III) center. [Ga(L)2]NO3 undergoes metathesis with both Fe2+ and Fe3+, resulting in the formation of respective Fe2+- and Fe3+ complexes. [Ga(L)2]NO3 is also susceptible to anion exchange with sodium hyaluronate (NaA) to produce the nanoformulation [Ga(L)2]A with boosted aqueous solubility and cell targeting. [Ga(L)2]A demonstrated remarkable in vitro cytotoxicity against NCI-H82 and A549 (lung cancer), as well as KYSE-510 and Te-1 (esophageal cancer) cell lines, featuring half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the range 0.102–2.616 μmol L−1. This work highlights the potential of using non-toxic and biocompatible Ga3+ as the central ion to prepare TSC-based nanomedicines for combating cancer.