RESUMEN
The cancer chemotherapeutic potential of surfactant-cobalt(III) complexes, cis-[Co(bpy)(2)(C(14)H(29)NH(2))Cl](ClO(4))(2)·3 H(2)O (1) and cis-[Co(phen)(2)(C(14)H(29)NH(2))Cl](ClO(4))(2)·3 H(2)O (2) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) on MCF-7 breast cancer cell was determined adopting MTT assay and specific staining techniques. The complexes affected the viability of the cells significantly and the cells succumbed to apoptosis as seen in the changes in the nuclear morphology and cytoplasmic features. Since the complex 2 appeared to be more potent, further assays were carried out on the complex 2. Single-cell electrophoresis indicated DNA damage. The translocation of phosphatidyl serine and loss of mitochondrial potential was revealed by annexin V-Cy3 staining and JC-1 staining respectively. Western blot analysis revealed up-regulation of pro-apoptotic p53 and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Taken together, the surfactant-cobalt(III) complex 2 would be a potential candidate for further investigation for application as a chemotherapeutic for cancers in general and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in particular.