Inhibitory Effects of the Ruthenium Complex KP1019 in Models of Mammary Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion

The effects of indazolium trans -[tetrachlorobis(1H-indazole)ruthenate(III)] (KP1019, or FFC14A), the second ruthenium compound that entered clinical trials, in an in vitro model of tumour invasion and metastasis show that the antitumour effects of this compound might include also the modulation of cell behaviour although its cytotoxicity appears to be predominant over these effects. The comparison with its imidazole analogue KP418 shows however its superiority, being able to control in vitro cell growth and in some instances also in vivo tumour development. These results suggest that the activity of KP1019 is predominantly due to direct cytotoxic effects for tumour cells, evident also in vivo on primary tumour growth and that the effects on modulation of the biological behaviour of the cancer cell can be present but might have only a partial role.