Tribenzyltin carboxylates as anticancer drug candidates: Effect on the cytotoxicity, motility and invasiveness of breast cancer cell lines.

Abstract This study seeks to investigate the relationship between the structural modification and bioactivity of a series of tribenzyltin complexes with different ligands and substitutions. Complexation with the N , N -diisopropylcarbamothioylsulfanylacetate or isonicotinate ligands enhanced the anticancer properties of tribenzyltin compounds via delayed cancer cell-cycle progression, caspase-dependent apoptosis induction, and significant reduction in cell motility, migration and invasion. Halogenation of the benzyl ring improved the anticancer effects of the tribenzyltin compounds with the N , N -diisopropylcarbamothioylsulfanylacetate ligand. These compounds also demonstrated far greater anticancer effects and selectivity than cisplatin and doxorubicin, which provides a rationale for their further development as anticancer agents.