Copper(II) complexes of hybrid hydroxyquinoline-thiosemicarbazone ligands: GSK3β inhibition due to intracellular delivery of copper

Abstract

Cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease appears to be related to the hyper-phosphorylation of the protein tau as a consequence of increased activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), and subsequent formation of neurotoxic neurofibrillary tangles. Abberant metal ion homeostasis, particularly involving copper has been implicitly linked to the pathogenesis of the disease. Increasing intracellular copper concentrations has been found to trigger pathways that result in inhibition of GSK3β. The syntheses and characterisation of tetradentate hybrid hydroxyquinoline-thiosemicarbazone proligands is presented. The ligands form stable complexes with CuII where the copper ion is four..