A Phosphorescent Rhenium(I) Tricarbonyl Polypyridine Complex Appended with a Fructose Pendant That Exhibits Photocytotoxicity and Enhanced Uptake by Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

We demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of a phosphorescent rhenium(I) polypyridine complex with a fructose pendant was enhanced upon irradiation and the cellular uptake of the complex was mediated by fructose transporters and inhibited by unmodified fructose but was independent of glucose-specific transporters. This complex has been used to image breast cancer cells, where fructose transporters are overexpressed.