DNA binding, prominent DNA cleavage and efficient anticancer activities of tris(diimine)iron(II) complexes

Non-intercalative, deoxyribose binding of boric acid to calf thymus DNA

The present study characterizes the effects of the boric acid binding on calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) by spectroscopic and calorimetric methods. UV-Vis absorbance spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were employed to characterize binding properties. Changes in the secondary structure of ct-DNA were determined by CD spectroscopy. Sizes and morphologies of boric acid-DNA complexes were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The kinetics of boric acid binding to calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) was investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). ITC results revealed that boric acid exhibits a moderate affinity to ct-DNA with a binding constant (K a) of 9.54 × 10(4) M(-1). FT-IR results revealed that boric acid binds to the deoxyribose sugar of DNA without disrupting the B-conformation at tested concentrations.

Synthesis and spectral characterization of Schiff base complexes of Cu(II), Co(II), Zn(II) and VO(IV) containing 4-(4-aminophenyl)morpholine derivatives: antimicrobial evaluation and anticancer studies

Metal(II) chelates of Schiff bases derived from the condensation of 4-morpholinoaniline with substituted salicylaldehyde have been prepared and characterized by (1)H NMR, IR, electronic, EPR, and magnetic measurement studies. The complexes are of the type M(X-MPMP)2 [where M=Cu(II), Co(II)), Zn(II), or VO(IV); MPMP=2-[(4 morpholinophenyl imino) methyl] 4-X-phenol, X=Cl, (L1H), X=Br (L2H)]. Single crystal X-ray crystallography studies confirm the structure of newly synthesized Schiff bases. The Schiff bases act as bidentate monobasic ligands, coordinating through deprotonated phenolic oxygen and azomethine nitrogen atoms. The free ligands and metal complexes are screened for their biopotency. Metal complexes exhibit better activity than ligands. Anticancer activity of ligands and their metal complexes are evaluated in human heptocarcinoma(HepG2) cells. The preliminary bioassay indicates that the Schiff base and its zinc complex exhibit inhibitory activity against the human gastric cancer cell lines.

DNA binding, molecular docking and apoptotic inducing activity of nickel(ii), copper(ii) and zinc(ii) complexes of pyridine-based tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ligands

The biological activity of metal(ii) complexes of tetrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine ligands show that the copper(ii) complexes may act as promising anticancer agents.

Water-soluble Co(III) complexes of substituted phenanthrolines with cell selective anticancer activity

Transition metal complexes with substituted phenanthrolines as ligands represent potential anticancer products without the drawbacks of platinum complexes that are currently marketed. Here, we report the synthesis and cell selective anticancer activity of five new water-soluble Co(III) complexes with methyl substituted phenanthroline ligands. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR, FAB-mass spectrometry, FTIR, electronic spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Possible interaction of these complexes with DNA was assessed by a combination of circular dichroism, UV-vis spectroscopy titration, and ethidium bromide displacement assay, and the results indicated that DNA interaction is weak for these complexes. Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of complexes at low concentrations were assessed by flow cytometry on PC-3 cells, while their effect on intracellular mitochondrial function was measured by MTS assay on HeLa and PC-3 cell lines. These complexes showed selective cytotoxicity with a significantly higher effect on intracellular mitochondrial function in PC-3 cells than in HeLa cells. At low concentrations, complex 2 had the highest cytotoxic effect on PC-3 cells, inducing around 38% cell death, and the correlation of cytotoxicity of these complexes to their hydrophobicity indicates that an appropriate value of the hydrophobicity is essential for high antitumor activity.

Highly efficient synthetic iron-dependent nucleases activate both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic death pathways in leukemia cancer cells

The nuclease activity and the cytotoxicity toward human leukemia cancer cells of iron complexes, [Fe(HPClNOL)Cl2]NO3 (1), [Cl(HPClNOL)Fe(μ-O)Fe(HPClNOL)Cl]Cl2·2H2O (2), and [(SO4)(HPClNOL)Fe(μ-O)Fe(HPClNOL)(SO4)]·6H2O (3) (HPClNOL=1-(bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-amino)-3-chloropropan-2-ol), were investigated. Each complex was able to promote plasmid DNA cleavage and change the supercoiled form of the plasmid to circular and linear ones. Kinetic data revealed that (1), (2) and (3) increase the rate of DNA hydrolysis about 278, 192 and 339 million-fold, respectively. The activity of the complexes was inhibited by distamycin, indicating that they interact with the minor groove of the DNA. The cytotoxic activity of the complexes toward U937, HL-60, Jukart and THP-1 leukemia cancer cells was studied employing 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), fluorescence and electronic transmission microscopies, flow cytometry and a cytochrome C release assay. Compound (2) has the highest activity toward cancer cells and is the least toxic for normal ones (i.e. peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)). In contrast, compound (1) is the least active toward cancer cells but displays the highest toxicity toward normal cells. Transmission electronic microscopy indicates that cell death shows features typical of apoptotic cells, which was confirmed using the annexin V-FITC/PI (fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide) assay. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that at an early stage during the treatment with complex (2) mitochondria lose their transmembrane potential, resulting in cytochrome C release. A quantification of caspases 3, 9 (intrinsic apoptosis pathway) and caspase 8 (extrinsic apoptosis pathway) indicated that both the intrinsic (via mitochondria) and extrinsic (via death receptors) pathways are involved in the apoptotic stimuli.

Synthesis, DNA binding, hemolysis assays and anticancer studies of copper(II), nickel(II) and iron(III) complexes of a pyrazoline-based ligand

Background: Over the last few decades, metal-based drugs, particularly cisplatin and its analogs have been used for the treatment of various cancers. Currently, scientists are developing other metal complexes as anticancer agents to eliminate the toxicity associated with platinum drugs. Results: Claisen-Schmidt condensation was used to synthesize the pyrazoline-based ligand; (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamide), followed by the synthesis of its complexes with copper(II), nickel(II) and iron(III) metal ions. DNA binding and in silico studies indicated quite good binding with DNA; requirements for good anticancer drugs. Conclusion: DNA binding constants for ligand, copper, nickel and iron complexes were 1.42 × 104, 3.16 × 104, 5.82 × 105 and 6.72 × 105 M-1, respectively, indicating strong binding with DNA. All the reported compounds were slightly hemolytic towards rabbit red blood corpuscles and exhibited moderate activities against MCF-7 cancer cell lines.

Ferromagnetic coupling and spin canting behaviour in heterobimetallic Re(IV)M(II/III) (M = Co(II/III), Ni(II)) species

Three novel heterobimetallic Re(IV) compounds of formulae [ReBr(4)(μ-ox)M(4,7-Cl(2)phen)(2)]·CH(3)CN·CH(3)NO(2) [M = Co(II) (1) and Ni(II) (2)] and [ReBr(4)(ox)](3)[Co(III)(5,6-dmphen)(3)](2)·CH(3)CN·2CH(3)NO(2)·4H(2)O (3) [ox = oxalate, 4,7-Cl(2)phen = 4,7-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline and 5,6-dmphen = 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline] have been synthesised and the structures of 1 and 3 determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 is an oxalato-bridged Re(IV)Co(II) heterodinuclear complex where the [ReBr(4)(ox)](2-) unit acts as a bidentate ligand towards the [Co(4,7-Cl(2)phen)(2)](2+) entity, the separation between Re(IV) and Co(II) across the oxalate being 5.482(1) Å. Compound 3 is an ionic salt whose structure is made up of [Re(IV)Br(4)(ox)](2-) anions and [Co(III)(5,6-dmphen)(3)](3+) cations plus acetonitrile, nitromethane and water as solvent molecules. The magnetic properties of 1-3 were investigated in the temperature range 1.9-300 K. Relatively large ferromagnetic interactions between Re(IV) and M(II) through the bis(bidentate) oxalato occur in 1 and 2 [J(ReM) = +11.0 (1) and +12.2 cm(-1) (2), the Hamiltonian being defined as Ĥ = -J(ReM)Ŝ(Re)·Ŝ(M)] which are explained on the basis of orbital symmetry considerations. A behaviour typical of a magnetically diluted Re(IV) complex with a large and positive value of zero-field splitting for the ground level (D(Re) = +43 cm(-1)) is observed for 3 in the high temperature range, whereas it exhibits spin canting in the low temperature domain as well as magnetic ordering below ca. 4.8 K.

Mixed ligand copper(II) complexes of N,N-bis(benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine (BBA) with diimine co-ligands: efficient chemical nuclease and protease activities and cytotoxicity

A series of mononuclear mixed ligand copper(II) complexes [Cu(bba)(diimine)](ClO(4))(2)1-4, where bba is N,N-bis(benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine and diimine is 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) (1), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) (2), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5,6-dmp) (3), or dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq) (4), have been isolated and characterized by analytical and spectral methods. The coordination geometry around copper(II) in 2 is described as square pyramidal with the two benzimidazole nitrogen atoms of the primary ligand bba and the two nitrogen atoms of phen (2) co-ligand constituting the equatorial plane and the amine nitrogen atom of bba occupying the apical position. In contrast, the two benzimidazole nitrogen atoms and the amine nitrogen atom of bba ligand and one of the two nitrogen atoms of 5,6-dmp constitute the equatorial plane of the trigonal bipyramidal distorted square based pyramidal (TBDSBP) coordination geometry of 3 with the other nitrogen atom of 5,6-dmp occupying the apical position. The structures of 1-4 have been optimized by using the density functional theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. Absorption spectral titrations with Calf Thymus (CT) DNA reveal that the intrinsic DNA binding affinity of the complexes depends upon the diimine co-ligand, dpq (4) > 5,6-dmp (3) > phen (2) > bpy (1). The DNA binding affinity of 4 is higher than 2 revealing that the π-stacking interaction of the dpq ring in between the DNA base pairs with the two bzim moieties of the bba ligand stacked along the DNA surface is more intimate than that of phen. The complex 3 is bound to DNA more strongly than 1 and 2 through strong hydrophobic interaction of the methyl groups on 5,6-positions of the phen ring in the DNA grooves. The extent of the decrease in relative emission intensities of DNA-bound ethidium bromide (EB) upon adding the complexes parallels the trend in DNA binding affinities. The large enhancement in relative viscosity of DNA upon binding to 3 and 4 supports the DNA binding modes proposed. Interestingly, the 5,6-dmp complex 3 is selective in exhibiting a positive induced CD band (ICD) upon binding to DNA suggesting that it induces a B to A conformational change. In contrast, 2 and 4 show induced CD responses indicating their involvement in strong DNA binding. Interestingly, only the dpq complex 4, which displays the strongest DNA binding affinity and is efficient in cleaving DNA in the absence of an activator with a rate constant of 5.8 ± 0.1 h(-1), which is higher than the uncatalyzed rate of DNA cleavage. All the complexes exhibit oxidative DNA cleavage ability, which varies as 4 > 2 > 3 > 1 (ascorbic acid) and 3 > 2 > 4 > 1 (H(2)O(2)). Also, the complexes cleave the protein bovine serum albumin in the presence of H(2)O(2) as an activator with the cleavage ability varying in the order 3 > 4 > 2 > 1. The highest efficiency of 3 to cleave both DNA and protein in the presence of H(2)O(2) is consistent with its strong hydrophobic interaction with the biopolymers. The IC(50) values of 1-4 against cervical cancer cell lines (SiHa) are almost equal to that of cisplatin, indicating that they have the potential to act as effective anticancer drugs in a time-dependent manner. The morphological assessment data obtained by using acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) and Hoechst 33258 staining reveal that 3 induces apoptosis much more effectively than the other complexes. Also, the alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis study (comet assay) suggests that the same complex induces DNA fragmentation more efficiently than others.