Switching of Trp-214 intrinsic rotamer population in human serum albumin: An insight into the aftermath of embracing therapeutic bioorganic luminophore azapodophyllotoxin into sudlow site I

Mixed-ligand copper(ii)-diimine complexes of 3-formylchromone-N 4-phenyl thiosemicarbazone: 5,6-dmp co-ligand confers enhanced cytotoxicity

The promising biological applications of thiosemicarbazone derivatives have inspired the design, synthesis, and study of their Cu(ii) complexes for anticancer therapeutic applications. Herein, we have evaluated the DNA/protein binding, DNA cleaving, and cytotoxic properties of four mixed-ligand Cu(ii) complexes of the type [Cu(L)(diimine)](NO3) 1-4, where HL is 4-oxo-4H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde-4(N)-phenylthiosemicarbazone 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-f:2',3'-h]-quinoxaline (dpq, 4). Interestingly, complex 3 with higher lipophilicity shows stronger DNA binding and oxidative DNA cleavage, higher ROS production, and more reversible redox behaviour, resulting in its remarkable cytotoxicity (IC50, 1.26 μM) against HeLa cervical cancer cells, and rendering it 5 times more potent than the widely used drug cisplatin. The same complex induces enhanced apoptotic cell death on HeLa cells but lower toxicity towards the non-cancerous PBMC cells. Molecular docking studies suggest that all the complexes bind in the minor groove of DNA and subdomain II of HSA, which is in close agreement with the experimental results. Also, 3 shows cytotoxicity higher than the analogous mixed ligand Cu(ii) complexes, reported already, emphasizing the importance of co-ligand in tuning the anticancer activity.

Conformational variation of site specific glycated albumin: A Molecular dynamics approach

Human serum albumin (HSA) is a major cargo protein, which undergoes glycation in hyperglycaemic conditions and results in impaired function. In physiological conditions, HSA plays a crucial role in pharmacological activities such as drug transport or delivery through its binding capacity and also by its enzymatic activity, which enables the translation of pro-drugs into active drugs. In this study, the impact of the methylglyoxal-mediated glycation on dynamic behaviour of inter-domain motion, Cys34 reactivity, binding site residual interaction and secondary structure transition were investigated through molecular dynamics simulation. The alteration in inter-domain motion reflects the effect of glycation-mediated changes on the structural conformation of albumin. The binding site residue interactions and volume analysis revealed the impact of glycation on the geometry of the binding site. We also found the correlation of Cys34 reactivity with increase of turns in the region between Ia-h4 and Ia-h5. The rise in turn formation in that region keeps Tyr84 farther away from Cys34 which could lead to higher Cys34 reactivity. In parallel, significant alterations in alpha helical content of helices in the binding sites were observed. These structural and conformational changes in glycated albumin could be the causative agents for functional impairment which leads to diabetic complications.

Synthesis and characterization of the new ligand, 1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indol-3-ylimino methyl naphthalene-2-ol and its Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes: comparative studies of their in vitro DNA and HSA Binding

A new ligand 1,2,4-triazino[5,6-b]indol-3-ylimino methyl naphthalene-2-ol (HL) was derived from 5H-[1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indol-3-amine and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde. The metal complexes of the type [Ni(L)(Bipy)]1/2SO₄ (1), [Cu(L)(Bipy)(H₂O)₂]1/2SO₄ (2), [Ni(L)(Phen)]1/2SO₄ (3) and [Cu(L)(Phen)(H₂O)₂]1/2SO₄ (4) were synthesized. The ligand (HL) and complexes 1-4 were thoroughly characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, ToF-MS, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR), molar conductance and magnetic moment determination. The Ni(II) complexes 1 and 3 adopt the square planar geometry and Cu(II) complexes 2 and 4 acquire distorted octahedral arrangement. In vitro DNA binding behavior of ligand (HL) and metal complexes 1-4 was explored by fluorescence spectral and ethidium bromide studies. The outcomes reveal that the complexes interact with DNA via non-covalent groove binding and electrostatic interactions. The higher binding constant (K) values of 4.35 × 10⁴ and 9.12 × 10⁴ M^-1 for complexes 2 and 4 indicate stronger binding ability with DNA. Moreover, in vitro human serum albumin (HSA) binding experiment with HL and complexes 1-4 reveals conformational modulations in the Trp-214 microenvironments in the subdomain IIA pocket.

Stabilization of a potential anticancer thiosemicarbazone derivative in Sudlow site I of human serum albumin: In vitro spectroscopy coupled with molecular dynamics simulation

Human Serum Albumin (HSA) is the most important protein in human blood plasma and can acts as a major transporting agent for various drug molecules with flexible binding interaction. To elucidate the interaction of a newly designed potential anticancer thiosemicarbazone based luminophore (E)-1-(4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4,4-dimethyl-thiosemicarbazide (DAHTS) with HSA under physiological condition, in vitro optical spectroscopic experiments viz UV-Vis absorption, steady state fluorescence, fluroscence anisotropy, time resolved fluorscence (TRF) and cicular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy have been scrutinised. The experimental findings have been corroborated with in silico molecular docking analysis and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. The spectroscopic results demonstrated that the conventionally anion-favouring Sudlow site I of HSA copiously adapt neutral DAHTS molecule with moderate binding affinity. The mean fluorescence lifetime of the sole tryptophan (Trp-214) present in the macromolecule experiences an appreciable diminution with an increase in concentration of the synthesized molecule. DAHTS localize itself close to Trp-214 within subdomain IIA (Sudlow site I) and surrounded by multiple hydrophobic amino acid residues (Val-235, Val-231, Ala-229, Phe-228, Val-325, Phe-326, Leu-327, Met-329, Phe-330, Leu-331, Tyr-332, Leu-346, Leu-347, Val-482, Leu-349, Ala-350, Ala-210, Trp-214, Ala- 213 and Val-216) in HSA. The distinct fluorescence lifetime, diverse pathways and changing rate of population indicates that the rotamerisation of Trp-214 residue is controlled by the guest molecule. Sudlow site I of HSA behaves flexibly and induces an allosteric modulation in the macromolecule resulting a minor deformation in the protein secondary structure as observed in CD (observed 11% change of α-helix content) as well as in MD simulation. The integrated multi-spectroscopic research described herein provides several important information about the binding interaction of a thiosemicarbazone Schiff base with HSA, which can be very significant for thiosemicarbazone based drug designing for academia as well as industry.

Fluorescence spectroscopic and dynamics simulation studies on isoorientin binding with human serum albumin

Isoorientin (ISOO) a glycosylated flavonoid found in acai berry exhibits relevant activities such as antidiabetic and antidepressant. However, its physicochemical action on any molecular target is scarcely known. In this work, we tackle the problem about the binding of ISOO to human serum albumin (HSA) applying fluorescence spectroscopy bimodal analysis aided by computational simulations. A static quenching process was detected having hypsochromic shift with implication in the polarizability around the endogenous probe (Trp 214) during complex formation. The binding mechanism reveals that all sites are equivalents and independents with binding constant value of 9.1 × 10⁴ M^-1 and, a total of six sites accessed whereas three of them were identified experimentally. The thermodynamic evaluation indicates that the complex formation is spontaneous (ΔG<0). The dynamics and docking simulations corroborated the experimental data by adding details of each site and its respective microenvironment.

Entrapment in micellar assemblies switches the excimer population of potential therapeutic luminophore azapodophyllotoxin

Azapodophyllotoxin is a new class of anti-tumor agent with brilliant therapeutic activity and understanding its physicochemical nature in bio-mimetic microenvironments may provide substantial importance in context of its intercellular localization, efficacy as well as delivery. The present work epitomizes environment-sensitive fluorescence modulation of a prodigy, 4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-10-phenyl-3,4,6,7,8,10- hexahydro-1H-cyclopenta[g]furo[3,4-b]quinoline-1-one (HPFQ) from the class of anti-cancer agent Azapodophyllotoxin, in differently charged model bio-mimetic micellar microenvironment of cationic CTAB, anionic SDS and neutral Triton X-100 using UV-visible absorption, steady state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy studies. As a distinct phenomenon, anticancer HPFQ exhibits prolific fluorescence in solvents of varying polarity, originating from a mixed contribution of locally excited, charge transfer and excimer emission. A dramatic modulation in the photophysics of HPFQ has been observed in two types of surfactant consortiums: pre-micellar and post-micellar at physiological and anoxic pH. On photo-excitation, anti-cancer HPFQ exists in monomer-excimer equilibrium with varying ratios in different polarity regions. The marked enhancement in fluorescence intensity of HPFQ in post-micellar region of the surfactant under study probably arises due to regeneration of the monomer from its excimer. This reoccurrence reduces the possibility of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from monomer to excimer, which essentially increases the desired emission intensity. Localization of HPFQ in micellar systems highly depends on polarity gradient inside the micelle, electrostatic, hydrophobic and intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. Further corroboration with the polarity sensitive experiments in dioxane-water mixture indicates towards spatial localization of the probe molecule in the stern layer of cationic CTAB, sheer surface of neutral TX100 and outer Gouy-Chapman layer in anionic SDS micelles. A molecular binary logic gate correlates the dominance of micellization over the polarity factor, which enhances the fluorescence response of HPFQ. The enhancement of the emissive potential of anti-cancer HPFQ in biomimetic environments by switching its excimer population may have an immense importance to achieve the status of a dual therapeutic and imaging agent altogether in progressive biomedical research.

Multifunctional nanoparticles from albumin for stimuli-responsive efficient dual drug delivery

In this project methotrexate (MTX) conjugated albumin based nanoparticles (MTX-BSA) loaded with curcumin (CUR) drug (CUR-MTX-BSA) for simultaneous delivery of multi-chemotherapeutic drugs and combination cancer therapy were designed. Co-delivery is a new strategy which minimize the amount of each drug, reduce of side effects and also to achieve the synergistic effect for cancer therapies. The MTX was conjugated to albumin via covalent bond. Next, this synthesized prodrug loaded with CUR. Afterward, the formulations were evaluated for physical and chemical properties by DLS, TEM, FTIR, UV/Vis, DSC analysis, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility studies. Furthermore, the drug loading and release study were evaluated. Proteinase K enzyme was used to break amid bond between MTX and BSA and also amidic bonds in BSA structure. Administration of up to 2000 mg/kg of BSA to healthy animals was non-toxic and all treated mice were still alive after 24 h. The result of this study proved that CUR-MTX-BSA can be used as a proficient vehicle for effective co-delivery of CUR and MTX in the treatment of cancer.