Nucleic acid-metal ion interactions in the solid state

Coordination Chemistry of Nucleotides and Antivirally Active Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphonates, including Mechanistic Considerations

Considering that practically all reactions that involve nucleotides also involve metal ions, it is evident that the coordination chemistry of nucleotides and their derivatives is an essential corner stone of biological inorganic chemistry. Nucleotides are either directly or indirectly involved in all processes occurring in Nature. It is therefore no surprise that the constituents of nucleotides have been chemically altered-that is, at the nucleobase residue, the sugar moiety, and also at the phosphate group, often with the aim of discovering medically useful compounds. Among such derivatives are acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs), where the sugar moiety has been replaced by an aliphatic chain (often also containing an ether oxygen atom) and the phosphate group has been replaced by a phosphonate carrying a carbon-phosphorus bond to make the compounds less hydrolysis-sensitive. Several of these ANPs show antiviral activity, and some of them are nowadays used as drugs. The antiviral activity results from the incorporation of the ANPs into the growing nucleic acid chain-i.e., polymerases accept the ANPs as substrates, leading to chain termination because of the missing 3'-hydroxyl group. We have tried in this review to describe the coordination chemistry (mainly) of the adenine nucleotides AMP and ATP and whenever possible to compare it with that of the dianion of 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA2- = adenine(N9)-CH2-CH2-O-CH2-PO32) [or its diphosphate (PMEApp4-)] as a representative of the ANPs. Why is PMEApp4- a better substrate for polymerases than ATP4-? There are three reasons: (i) PMEA2- with its anti-like conformation (like AMP2-) fits well into the active site of the enzyme. (ii) The phosphonate group has an enhanced metal ion affinity because of its increased basicity. (iii) The ether oxygen forms a 5-membered chelate with the neighboring phosphonate and favors thus coordination at the Pα group. Research on ANPs containing a purine residue revealed that the kind and position of the substituent at C2 or C6 has a significant influence on the biological activity. For example, the shift of the (C6)NH2 group in PMEA to the C2 position leads to 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2-aminopurine (PME2AP), an isomer with only a moderate antiviral activity. Removal of (C6)NH2 favors N7 coordination, e.g., of Cu2+, whereas the ether O atom binding of Cu2+ in PMEA facilitates N3 coordination via adjacent 5- and 7-membered chelates, giving rise to a Cu(PMEA)cl/O/N3 isomer. If the metal ions (M2+) are M(α,β)-M(γ)-coordinated at a triphosphate chain, transphosphorylation occurs (kinases, etc.), whereas metal ion binding in a M(α)-M(β,γ)-type fashion is relevant for polymerases. It may be noted that with diphosphorylated PMEA, (PMEApp4-), the M(α)-M(β,γ) binding is favored because of the formation of the 5-membered chelate involving the ether O atom (see above). The self-association tendency of purines leads to the formation of dimeric [M2(ATP)]2(OH)- stacks, which occur in low concentration and where one half of the molecule undergoes the dephosphorylation reaction and the other half stabilizes the structure-i.e., acts as the "enzyme" by bridging the two ATPs. In accord herewith, one may enhance the reaction rate by adding AMP2- to the [Cu2(ATP)]2(OH)- solution, as this leads to the formation of mixed stacked Cu3(ATP)(AMP)(OH)- species, in which AMP2- takes over the structuring role, while the other "half" of the molecule undergoes dephosphorylation. It may be added that Cu3(ATP)(PMEA) or better Cu3(ATP)(PMEA)(OH)- is even a more reactive species than Cu3(ATP)(AMP)(OH)-. - The matrix-assisted self-association and its significance for cell organelles with high ATP concentrations is summarized and discussed, as is, e.g., the effect of tryptophanate (Trp-), which leads to the formation of intramolecular stacks in M(ATP)(Trp)3- complexes (formation degree about 75%). Furthermore, it is well-known that in the active-site cavities of enzymes the dielectric constant, compared with bulk water, is reduced; therefore, we have summarized and discussed the effect of a change in solvent polarity on the stability and structure of binary and ternary complexes: Opposite effects on charged O sites and neutral N sites are observed, and this leads to interesting insights.

Acid–base properties of an antivirally active acyclic nucleoside phosphonate: (S)-9-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (HPMPA)

Protonation equilibria for the parent compound of three highly potent antivirals have been studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Unusual crystal structure and chirality of uridine 5′-monophosphate coordination polymer

The auxiliary ligand effect in the structure and charility of uridine 5′-monophosphate coordination polymer was investigated.

Lights and shadows in the challenge of binding acyclovir, a synthetic purine-like nucleoside with antiviral activity, at an apical-distal coordination site in copper(II)-polyamine chelates

Several nucleic acid components and their metal complexes are known to be involved in crucial metabolic steps. Therefore the study of metal-nucleic acid interactions becomes essential to understand these biological processes. In this work, the synthetic purine-like nucleoside acyclovir (acv) has been used as a model of guanosine recognition with copper(II)-polyamine chelates. The chemical stability of the N9-acyclic arm in acv offers the possibility to use this antiviral drug to deepen the knowledge of metal-nucleoside interactions. Cu(II) chelates with cyclam, cyclen and trien were used as suitable receptors. All these copper(II) tetraamine chelates have in common the potential ability to yield a Cu-N7(apical) bond assisted by an appropriate (amine)N-H⋯O6(acv) intra-molecular interligand interaction. A series of synthesis afforded the following compounds: [Cu(cyclam)(ClO4)2] (1), {[Cu(cyclam)(μ2-NO3)](NO3)}n (2), {[Cu(cyclam)(μ2-SO4)]·MeOH}n (3), {[Cu(cyclam)(μ2-SO4)]·5H2O}n (4), [Cu(cyclen)(H2O)]SO4·2H2O (5), [Cu(cyclen)(H2O)]SO4·3H2O (6), [Cu(trien)(acv)](NO3)2·acv (7) and [Cu(trien)(acv)]SO4·0.71H2O (8). All these compounds have been characterized by X-ray crystallography and FT-IR spectroscopy. Our results reveal that the macrochelates Cu(cyclen)(2+) and Cu(cyclam)(2+) are unable to bind acv at an apical site. In contrast, the Cu(trien)(2+) complex has proved to be an efficient receptor for acv in compounds (7) and (8). In the ternary complex [Cu(trien)(acv)](2+), the metal binding pattern of acv consists of an apical Cu-N7 bond assisted by an intra-molecular (primary amino)N-H⋯O6(acv) interligand interaction. Structural comparisons reveal that this unprecedented apical role of acv is due to the acyclic nature of trien together with the ability of the Cu(trien)(2+) chelate to generate five-coordinated (type 4+1) copper(II) complexes.

Urinary parameters predictive and electrolyte disturbances of cisplatin-induced acute renal associated with cancer as a critical target of the chemotherapeutic agent in patients with solid tumors

Cisplatin (CP) is a remarkably effective Pt-based anticancer drug, but it also exhibits severe toxic side effects, including nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, and CP nephrotoxicity is a major constraint for the treatment of solid tumors. This study was designed to evaluate the electrolyte and biochemical changes in dogs with acute kidney injury (acute renal failure) following administration of CP as a chemotherapeutic agent to exhibit broad efficacy in solid tumors. A total of 10 adult male dogs were selected (treated dogs = 7 and control dogs = 3). Cisplatin-treated animals were received 0.75 mg/kg via intravenous for 5 consecutive days. Urine and blood samples on days 0 (pre-dosing), 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, and 28 (post-dosing) were collected. For tracking the signs of toxicity with cisplatin, clinical examination was performed for 2 times a day. Serum samples were assayed urea, creatinine, sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and urine samples were used to measure creatinine. Serum creatinine levels indicating renal function (glomerular filtration rate) was 0.66 and 0.94 mg/dL in day 0, respectively, in treatment and control animals. After day 2, a significant change in creatinine was observed in treatment animals. On the end day of the study control and treatments, creatinine was measured with mean of 1.35 and 1.00 mg/dL, respectively. Electrolyte disturbances were observed after several days of cisplatin administration including changes in levels of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and chloride. Clinical observations also identified CP toxicity. This study for the first time showed that compensation electrolyte abnormalities in dogs following administration of cisplatin is essential to prevent deaths by daily monitoring and measurement of electrolytes in patients. This may be advantageous if repetitive cycles of chemotherapy or subsequent administration of high dose chemotherapy were planned.

Solution properties of metal ion complexes formed with the antiviral and cytostatic nucleotide analogue 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2-amino-6-dimethylaminopurine (PME2A6DMAP)

The acidity constants of protonated 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2-amino-6-dimethylaminopurine (H3(PME2A6DMAP)+) are considered, and the stability constants of the M(H;PME2A6DMAP)+ and M(PME2A6DMAP) complexes (M2+ = Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, or Cd2+) were measured by potentiometric pH titrations in aqueous solution (25 °C; I = 0.1 mol/L, NaNO3). In the M(H;PME2A6DMAP)+ species, H+ and M2+ (mainly outersphere) are at the phosphonate group; this is relevant for phosphoryl-diester bridges in nucleic acids because, in the present system, there is no indication for a M2+–purine binding. This contrasts, for example, with the complexes formed by 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine, M(H;PMEA)+, where M2+ is mainly situated at the adenine residue. Application of log [Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see text] plots for simple phosph(on)ate ligands, R–PO32− (R being a residue that does not affect M2+ binding), proves that all M(PME2A6DMAP) complexes have larger stabilities than what would be expected for a M2+–phosphonate coordination. Comparisons with M(PME–R) complexes, where R is a noncoordinating residue of the (phosphonomethoxy)ethane chain, allow one to conclude that the increased stability is due to the formation of five-membered chelates involving the ether–oxygen of the –CH2–O–CH2–PO32− residue: the percentages of formation of these M(PME2A6DMAP)cl/O chelates, which occur in intramolecular equilibria, vary between 20% (Sr2+, Ba2+) and 50% (Zn2+, Cd2+), up to a maximum of 67% (Cu2+). Any M2+ interaction with N3 or N7 of the purine moiety, as in the parent M(PMEA) complexes, is suppressed by the (C2)NH2 and (C6)N(CH3)2 substituents. This observation, together with the previously determined stacking properties, offers an explanation why PME2A6DMAP2– has remarkable therapeutic effects.

Comparison of the π-stacking properties of purine versus pyrimidine residues. Some generalizations regarding selectivity

Aromatic-ring stacking is pronounced among the noncovalent interactions occurring in biosystems and therefore some pertinent features regarding nucleobase residues are summarized. Self-stacking decreases in the series adenine > guanine > hypoxanthine > cytosine ~ uracil. This contrasts with the stability of binary (phen)(N) adducts formed by 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and a nucleobase residue (N), which is largely independent of the type of purine residue involved, including (N1)H-deprotonated guanine. Furthermore, the association constant for (phen)(A)(0/4-) is rather independent of the type and charge of the adenine derivative (A) considered, be it adenosine or one of its nucleotides, including adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP(4-)). The same holds for the corresponding adducts of 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), although owing to the smaller size of the aromatic-ring system of bpy, the (bpy)(A)(0/4-) adducts are less stable; the same applies correspondingly to the adducts formed with pyrimidines. In accord herewith, [M(bpy)](adenosine)(2+) adducts (M(2+) is Co(2+), Ni(2+), or Cu(2+)) show the same stability as the (bpy)(A)(0/4-) ones. The formation of an ionic bridge between -NH3 (+) and -PO3 (2-), as provided by tryptophan [H(Trp)(±)] and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP(2-)), facilitates recognition and stabilizes the indole-purine stack in [H(Trp)](AMP)(2-). Such indole-purine stacks also occur in nature. Similarly, the formation of a metal ion bridge as occurs, e.g., between Cu(2+) coordinated to phen and the phosphonate group of 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA(2-)) dramatically favors the intramolecular stack in Cu(phen)(PMEA). The consequences of such interactions for biosystems are discussed, especially emphasizing that the energies involved in such isomeric equilibria are small, allowing Nature to shift such equilibria easily.

Characterization of complexes of nucleoside-5'-phosphorothioate analogues with zinc ions

On the basis of the high affinity of Zn(2+) to sulfur and imidazole, we targeted nucleotides such as GDP-β-S, ADP-β-S, and AP3(β-S)A, as potential biocompatible Zn(2+)-chelators. The thiophosphate moiety enhanced the stability of the Zn(2+)-nucleotide complex by about 0.7 log units. ATP-α,β-CH2-γ-S formed the most stable Zn(2+)-complex studied here, log K 6.50, being ~0.8 and ~1.1 log units more stable than ATP-γ-S-Zn(2+) and ATP-Zn(2+) complexes, and was the major species, 84%, under physiological pH. Guanine nucleotides Zn(2+) complexes were more stable by 0.3-0.4 log units than the corresponding adenine nucleotide complexes. Likewise, AP3(β-S)A-zinc complex was ~0.5 log units more stable than AP3A complex. (1)H- and (31)P NMR monitored Zn(2+) titration showed that Zn(2+) coordinates with the purine nucleotide N7-nitrogen atom, the terminal phosphate, and the adjacent phosphate. In conclusion, replacement of a terminal phosphate by a thiophosphate group resulted in decrease of the acidity of the phosphate moiety by approximately one log unit, and increase of stability of Zn(2+)-complexes of the latter analogues by up to 0.7 log units. A terminal phosphorothioate contributed more to the stability of nucleotide-Zn(2+) complexes than a bridging phosphorothioate.

Extent of intramolecular π-stacks in aqueous solution in mixed-ligand copper(II) complexes formed by heteroaromatic amines and several 2-aminopurine derivatives of the antivirally active nucleotide analog 9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA)

The acidity constants of twofold protonated, antivirally active, acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs), H(2)(PE)(±), where PE(2-)=9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine (PMEA(2-)), 2-amino-9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]purine (PME2AP(2-)), 2,6-diamino-9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]purine (PMEDAP(2-)), or 2-amino-6-(dimethylamino)-9-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]purine (PME(2A6DMAP)(2-)), as well as the stability constants of the corresponding ternary Cu(Arm)(H;PE)(+) and Cu(Arm)(PE) complexes, where Arm=2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), are compared. The constants for the systems containing PE(2-)=PMEDAP(2-) and PME(2A6DMAP)(2-) have been determined now by potentiometric pH titrations in aqueous solution at I=0.1M (NaNO(3)) and 25°; the corresponding results for the other ANPs were taken from our earlier work. The basicity of the terminal phosphonate group is very similar for all the ANP(2-) species, whereas the addition of a second amino substituent at the pyrimidine ring of the purine moiety significantly increases the basicity of the N(1) site. Detailed stability-constant comparisons reveal that, in the monoprotonated ternary Cu(Arm)(H;PE)(+) complexes, the proton is at the phosphonate group, that the ether O-atom of the -CH(2)-O-CH(2)-P(O)(2)(-)(OH) residue participates, next to the P(O)(2)(-)(OH) group, to some extent in Cu(Arm)(2+) coordination, and that π-π stacking between the aromatic rings of Cu(Arm)(2+) and the purine moiety is rather important, especially for the H·PMEDAP(-) and H·PME(2A6DMAP)(-) ligands. There are indications that ternary Cu(Arm)(2+)-bridged stacks as well as unbridged (binary) stacks are formed. The ternary Cu(Arm)(PE) complexes are considerably more stable than the corresponding Cu(Arm)(R-PO(3)) species, where R-PO(3)(2-) represents a phosph(on)ate ligand with a group R that is unable to participate in any kind of intramolecular interaction within the complexes. The observed stability enhancements are mainly attributed to intramolecular-stack formation in the Cu(Arm)(PE) complexes and also, to a smaller extent, to the formation of five-membered chelates involving the ether O-atom present in the -CH(2)-O-CH(2)-PO(3)(2-) residue of the PE(2-) species. The quantitative analysis of the intramolecular equilibria involving three structurally different Cu(Arm)(PE) isomers shows that, e.g., ca. 1.5% of the Cu(phen)(PMEDAP) system exist with Cu(phen)(2+) solely coordinated to the phosphonate group, 4.5% as a five-membered chelate involving the ether O-atom of the -CH(2)-O-CH(2)-PO(3)(2-) residue, and 94% with an intramolecular π-π stack between the purine moiety of PMEDAP(2-) and the aromatic rings of phen. Comparison of the various formation degrees of the species formed reveals that, in the Cu(phen)(PE) complexes, intramolecular-stack formation is more pronounced than in the Cu(bpy)(PE) species. Within a given Cu(Arm)(2+) series the stacking intensity increases in the order PME2AP(2-) <PMEA(2-) <PMEDAP(2-) <PME(2A6DMAP)(2-). One could speculate that the reduced stacking intensity of PME2AP(2-), together with a different H-bonding pattern, could well lead to a different orientation of the 2-aminopurine moiety (compared to the adenine residue) in the active site of nucleic acid polymerases and thus be responsible for the reduced antiviral activity of PME2AP compared with that of PMEA and the other ANPs containing a 6-amino substituent.

Complex formation of cadmium with sugar residues, nucleobases, phosphates, nucleotides, and nucleic acids

Cadmium(II), commonly classified as a relatively soft metal ion, prefers indeed aromatic-nitrogen sites (e.g., N7 of purines) over oxygen sites (like sugar-hydroxyl groups). However, matters are not that simple, though it is true that the affinity of Cd(2+) towards ribose-hydroxyl groups is very small; yet, a correct orientation brought about by a suitable primary binding site and a reduced solvent polarity, as it is expected to occur in a folded nucleic acid, may facilitate metal ion-hydroxyl group binding very effectively. Cd(2+) prefers the guanine(N7) over the adenine(N7), mainly because of the steric hindrance of the (C6)NH(2) group in the adenine residue. This Cd(2+)-(N7) interaction in a guanine moiety leads to a significant acidification of the (N1)H meaning that the deprotonation reaction occurs now in the physiological pH range. N3 of the cytosine residue, together with the neighboring (C2)O, is also a remarkable Cd(2+) binding site, though replacement of (C2)O by (C2)S enhances the affinity towards Cd(2+) dramatically, giving in addition rise to the deprotonation of the (C4)NH(2) group. The phosphodiester bridge is only a weak binding site but the affinity increases further from the mono- to the di- and the triphosphate. The same also holds for the corresponding nucleotides. Complex stability of the pyrimidine-nucleotides is solely determined by the coordination tendency of the phosphate group(s), whereas in the case of purine-nucleotides macrochelate formation takes place by the interaction of the phosphate-coordinated Cd(2+) with N7. The extents of the formation degrees of these chelates are summarized and the effect of a non-bridging sulfur atom in a thiophosphate group (versus a normal phosphate group) is considered. Mixed ligand complexes containing a nucleotide and a further mono- or bidentate ligand are covered and it is concluded that in these species N7 is released from the coordination sphere of Cd(2+). In the case that the other ligand contains an aromatic residue (e.g., 2,2'-bipyridine or the indole ring of tryptophanate) intramolecular stack formation takes place. With buffers like Tris or Bistris mixed ligand complexes are formed. Cd(2+) coordination to dinucleotides and to dinucleoside monophosphates provides some insights regarding the interaction between Cd(2+) and nucleic acids. Cd(2+) binding to oligonucleotides follows the principles of coordination to its units. The available crystal studies reveal that N7 of purines is the prominent binding site followed by phosphate oxygens and other heteroatoms in nucleic acids. Due to its high thiophilicity, Cd(2+) is regularly used in so-called thiorescue experiments, which lead to the identification of a direct involvement of divalent metal ions in ribozyme catalysis.