Steric Protection of a Photosensitizer in a N,N-Bis[2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]-2-phenylethylamine-copper(II) Bowl that Enhances Red Light-Induced DNA Cleavage Activity

Mononuclear Co(II) polypyridyl complexes: synthesis, molecular structure, DNA binding/cleavage, radical scavenging, docking studies and anticancer activities

Mononuclear Co(II) complexes [CoII(L)Cl2]; 1, [CoII(L)(bpy)Cl]PF6; 2, [CoII(L)(phen)Cl]PF6; 3 and [CoII(L)(pic)Cl]; 4, (where L = N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)aniline, bpy = 2,2/-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, pic = picolinic acid) were systematically synthesized and...

Unraveling the binding mechanism of an Oxovanadium(IV) - Curcumin complex on albumin, DNA and DNA gyrase by in vitro and in silico studies and evaluation of its hemocompatibility

An oxovanadium(IV) - curcumin based complex, viz. [VO(cur)(2,2´-bipy)(H₂O)] where cur is curcumin and bipy is bipyridine, previously synthesized, has been studied for interaction with albumin and DNA. Fluorescence emission spectroscopy was used to evaluate the interaction of the complex with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and the BSA-binding constant (K_b) was calculated to be 2.56 x 10⁵ M^-1, whereas a single great-affinity binding site was revealed. Moreover, the hemocompatibility test demonstrated that the complex presented low hemolytic fraction (mostly below 1%), in all concentrations tested (0-250 μΜ of complex, 5% DMSO) assuring a safe application in interaction with blood. The binding of the complex to DNA was also investigated using absorption, fluorescence, and viscometry methods indicating a binding through a minor groove mode. From competitive studies with ethidium bromide the apparent binding constant value to DNA was estimated to be 4.82 x 10⁶ M^-1. Stern-Volmer quenching phenomenon gave a Κ_SV constant [1.92 (± 0.05) x 10⁴ M^-1] and k_q constant [8.33 (± 0.2) x 10¹¹ M^-1s^-1]. Molecular docking simulations on the crystal structure of BSA, calf thymus DNA, and DNA gyrase, as well as pharmacophore analysis for BSA target, were also employed to study in silico the ability of [VO(cur)(2,2´-bipy)(H₂O)] to bind to these target bio-macromolecules and explain the observed in vitro activity.

A nucleus-directed bombesin derivative for targeted delivery of metallodrugs to cancer cells

We have synthesized a set of bombesin derivatives with the aim of exploring their tumor targeting properties to deliver metal-based chemotherapeutics into cancer cells. Peptide QRLGNQWAVGHLL-NH₂ (BN3) was selected based on its high internalization in gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR)-overexpressing PC-3 cells. Three metallopeptides were prepared by incorporating the terpyridine Pt(II) complex [PtCl(cptpy)]Cl (1) (cptpy = 4'-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,2':6,2″-terpyridine) at the N-terminus of BN3 or at the N^Ɛ- or N^α-amino group of an additional Lys residue (1-BN3, Lys-1-BN3 and 1-Lys-BN3, respectively). 1-Lys-BN3 displayed the best cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀: 19.2 ± 1.7 μM) and similar ability to intercalate into DNA than complex 1. Moreover, the polypyridine Ru(II) complex [Ru(bpy)₂)(cmbpy)](PF₆)₂ (2) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; cmbpy = 4-methyl-2,2'-bipyridine-4'-carboxylic acid), with proven activity as photosensitizer, was coupled to BN3 leading to metallopeptide 2-Lys-BN3. Upon photoactivation, 2-Lys-BN3 displayed 2.5-fold higher cytotoxicity against PC-3 cells (IC₅₀: 7.6 ± 1.0 μM) than complex 2. To enhance the accumulation of the drugs into the cell nucleus, the nuclear localization signal (NLS) PKKKRKV was incorporated at the N-terminus of BN3. NLS-BN3 displayed higher cellular internalization along with nuclear biodistribution. Accordingly, metallopeptides 1-NLS-BN3 and 2-NLS-BN3 showed increased cytotoxicity (IC₅₀: 12.0 ± 1.1 μM and 2.3 ± 1.1 μM). Interestingly, the phototoxic index of 2-NLS-BN3 was 8-fold higher than that of complex 2. Next, the selectivity towards cancer cells was explored using 1BR3.G fibroblasts. Higher selectivity indexes were obtained for 1-NLS-BN3 and 2-NLS-BN3 than for the unconjugated complexes. These results prove NLS-BN3 effective for targeted delivery of metallodrugs to GRPR-overexpressing cells and for enhancing the cytotoxic efficacy of metal-based photosensitizers.

Selective Photodissociation of Acetonitrile Ligands in Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complexes Studied by Density Functional Theory

Metal complexes that release ligands upon photoexcitation are important tools for biological research and show great potential as highly specific therapeutics. Upon excitation with visible light, [Ru(TQA)(MeCN)2](2+) [TQA = tris(2-quinolinylmethyl)amine] exchanges one of the two acetonitriles (MeCNs), whereas [Ru(DPAbpy)MeCN](2+) [DPAbpy = N-(2,2'-bipyridin-6-yl)-N,N-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine] does not release MeCN. Furthermore, [Ru(TQA)(MeCN)2](2+) is highly selective for release of the MeCN that is perpendicular to the plane of the two axial quinolines. Density functional theory calculations provide a clear explanation for the photodissociation behavior of these two complexes. Excitation by visible light and intersystem crossing leads to a six-coordinate (3)MLCT state. Dissociation of acetonitrile can occur after internal conversion to a dissociative (3)MC state, which has an occupied dσ* orbital that interacts in an antibonding fashion with acetonitrile. For [Ru(TQA)(MeCN)2](2+), the dissociative (3)MC state is lower than the (3)MLCT state. In contrast, the (3)MC state of [Ru(DPAbpy)MeCN](2+) that releases acetonitrile has an energy higher than that of the (3)MLCT state, indicating dissociation is unfavorable. These results are consistent with the experimental observations that efficient photodissociation of acetonitrile occurs for [Ru(TQA)(MeCN)2](2+) but not for [Ru(DPAbpy)MeCN](2+). For the release of the MeCN ligand in [Ru(TQA)(MeCN)2](2+) that is perpendicular to the axial quinoline rings, the (3)MLCT state has an occupied quinoline π* orbital that can interact with a dσ* Ru-NCCH3 antibonding orbital as the Ru-NCCH3 bond is stretched and the quinolines bend toward the departing acetonitrile. This reduces the barrier for the formation of the dissociative (3)MC state, leading to the selective photodissociation of this acetonitrile. By contrast, when the acetonitrile is in the plane of the quinolines or bpy, no interaction occurs between the ligand π* orbital and the dσ* Ru-NCCH3 orbital, resulting in high barriers for conversion to the corresponding (3)MC structures and no release of acetonitrile.

Water-soluble oxoglaucine-Y(iii), Dy(iii) complexes: in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities by triggering DNA damage, leading to S phase arrest and apoptosis

The complexes exhibited considerable in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity, and higher safety than ciplatin.

An IDB-containing low molecular weight short peptide as an efficient DNA cleavage reagent

We present poly(aspartic acid) grafting bis-amine conjugates as artificial nucleases, which can effectively induce double-strand DNA cleavage.

Five water-soluble zwitterionic copper(ii)-carboxylate polymers: role of dipyridyl coligands in enhancing the DNA-binding, cleaving and anticancer activities

Five water-soluble zwitterionic copper-carboxylate polymers were prepared and their DNA-binding, cleaving and anticancer activities were studied.

Four related mixed-ligand nickel(ii) complexes: effect of steric encumbrance on the structure, DNA/BSA binding, DNA cleavage and cytotoxicity

Four new interrelated mixed-ligand nickel(ii) complexes have been synthesized and characterized. The activities of DNA binding/cleavage, BSA binding with complexes and the vitro cytotoxicity also have been explored.

Syntheses, characterization, interaction with DNA, cytotoxic and apoptosis of two novel complexes of Zn(II) and Mn(II) with 2-methyl-1H-4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid

Two new complexes, Zn(L)2(H2O)2 (1) and Mn(L)2(H2O)2 (2) [L = 2-Methyl-1H-4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid] were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. Intramolecular weak interactions, such as hydrogen-bond and intermolecular interactions were presented in the complexes. The activities of the complexes binding with DNA, and cytotoxic activities were studied. The binding of complexes with fish sperm DNA (FS-DNA) was investigated by fluorescence spectra. Gel electrophoresis assay demonstrated the ability of the complexes to cleave the pBR322 plasmid DNA. The cytotoxic activities of the complexes were tested against the KB cell line. Cytotoxic activity studies showed the two complexes exhibited significant cancer cell inhibitory rate. The most active compound was complex 1 with IC50 and CC50value of 36.5, 429, with the selectivity index (SI = 11.75) among the tested compounds.

Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding, cleavage activity and cytotoxicity of copper(II) complexes

Three new mononuclear copper(II) complexes, [Cu(L2)](2+) (1), [Cu(acac)(L)](+) (2), and [Cu(acac-Cl)(L)](+) (3) (L = 2-(4-pyridine)oxazo[4,5-f]1,10-phenanthroline (4-PDOP); acac = acetylacetone; acac-Cl = 3-chloroacetylacetone), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, high resolution mass spectrometry (Q-TOF), and IR spectroscopy. Two of the complexes were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Their interactions with DNA were studied by UV-vis absorption and emission spectra, viscosity, thermal melting, DNA unwinding assay and CD spectroscopy. The nucleolytic cleavage activity of the compounds was carried out on double stranded pBR322 circular plasmid DNA by using a gel electrophoresis experiment in the presence and absence of an oxidant (H2O2). Active oxygen intermediates such as hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide generated in the presence of L and complexes 1-3 may act as active species for the DNA scission. The cytotoxicity of the complexes against HepG2 cancer cells was also studied.

N-[2-(Pyridin-2-yl)ethyl]-derivatives of methane-, benzene- and toluenesulfonamide: prospective ligands for metal coordination

The molecular and supramolecular structures are reported of N-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl]methanesulfonamide, C8H12N2O2S, (I), N-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl]benzenesulfonamide, C13H14N2O2S, (II), and N-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl]toluenesulfonamide, C14H16N2O2S, (III). Although (II) and (III) are almost structurally identical, the N(amide)-C(ethyl)-C(ethyl)-C(pyridinyl) torsion angles for (I) and (II) are more closely comparable, with magnitudes of 175.37 (15)° for (I) and 169.04 (19)° for (II). This angle decreases dramatically with an additional methyl group in the para position of the sulfonamide substituent, resulting in a value of 62.9 (2)° for (III). In each of the three compounds there is an N-H...N hydrogen bond between the sulfonamide of one molecule and the pyridine N atom of a neighbor. Compound (I) forms hydrogen-bonded dimers, (II) uses its hydrogen bonding to connect supramolecular layers, and the hydrogen bonding of (III) connects linear chains to form layers. For arene-substituted (II) and (III), the different conformations afforded by the variable dihedral angles promote intermolecular π-π stacking in the benzene-substituted structure (II), but distorted intramolecular T-shaped π-stacking in the toluene-substituted structure (III), with a centroid-to-centroid distance of 4.9296 (10) Å.

Chitosan-coated boron nitride nanospheres enhance delivery of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides and induction of cytokines

BACKGROUND

Cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotides activate Toll-like receptor 9, leading to induction of proinflammatory cytokines, which play an important role in induction and maintenance of innate and adaptive immune responses. Previously, we have used boron nitride nanospheres (BNNS) as a carrier for delivery of unmodified CpG oligodeoxynucleotides to activate Toll-like receptor 9. However, because CpG oligodeoxynucleotides and BNNS are both negatively charged, electrostatic repulsion between them is likely to reduce the loading of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides onto BNNS. Therefore, the efficiency of uptake of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides is also limited and does not result in induction of a robust cytokine response. To ameliorate these problems, we developed a CpG oligodeoxynucleotide delivery system using chitosan-coated BNNS as a carrier.

METHODS

To facilitate attachment of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides onto the BNNS and improve their loading capacity, we prepared positively charged BNNS by coating them with chitosan preparations of three different molecular weights and used them as carriers for delivery of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides.

RESULTS

The zeta potentials of the BNNS-CS complexes were positive, and chitosan coating improved their dispersity and stability in aqueous solution compared with BNNS. The positive charge of the BNNS-CS complexes greatly improved the loading capacity and cellular uptake efficiency of CpG oligodeoxynucleotides. The loading capacity of the CpG oligodeoxynucleotides depended on the molecular weight of chitosan, which affected the positive charge density on the surface of the BNNS. CpG oligodeoxynucleotides loaded onto BNNS-CS complexes significantly enhanced production of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α by peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides directly loaded onto BNNS, or when Lipofectamine™ 2000 was used as the carrier. The molecular weight of the chitosan used to coat the BNNS affected the magnitude of cytokine induction by varying the strength of condensation of the CpG oligodeoxynucleotides.

CONCLUSION

Although the loading capacity of BNNS coated with low molecular weight chitosan preparations was the lowest of all the preparations, they induced the highest levels of cytokines.

In vitro and in vivo studies into the biological activities of 1,10-phenanthroline, 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione and its copper(ii) and silver(i) complexes

1,10-Phenanthroline (phen, 5), 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione, 6), [Cu(phendione)3](ClO4)2·4H2O (12) and [Ag(phendione)2]ClO4 (13) are highly active, in vitro, against a range of normal and cancerous mammalian cells, fungal and insect cell lines, with the metal complexes offering a clear enhancement in activity. Cytoselectivity was not observed between the tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic mammalian lines. In in vivo tests, using Galleria mellonella and Swiss mice, all four compounds were well tolerated in comparison to the clinical agent, cisplatin. In addition, blood samples taken from the Swiss mice showed that the levels of the hepatic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), remained unaffected. Immunocompromised nude mice showed a much lower tolerance to 13 and, subsequently, when these mice were implanted with Hep-G2 (hepatic) and HCT-8 (colon) human-derived tumors, there was no influence on tumor growth.

Synthesis, structures, cellular uptake and apoptosis-inducing properties of highly cytotoxic ruthenium-Norharman complexes

Three novel Ru(II) complexes of the general formula [Ru(N-N)(2)(Norharman)(2)](SO(3)CF(3))(2), where N-N = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy, 1), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, 2), 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (DIP, 3) and Norharman (9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole) is a naturally occurring β-carboline alkaloid, have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The cellular uptake efficiencies, in vitro cytotoxicities and apoptosis-inducing properties of these complexes have been extensively explored. Notably, 1-3 exhibit potent antiproliferative activities against a panel of human cancer cell lines with IC(50) values lower than those of cisplatin. Further studies show that 1-3 can cause cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase and induce apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In vitro DNA binding studies have also been conducted to provide information about the possible mechanism of action.

Mixed-ligand copper(II) maltolate complexes: synthesis, characterization, DNA binding and cleavage, and cytotoxicity

The mixed-ligand complexes [Cu(L)(maltol)] where L = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy; 1), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen; 2), 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (phendione; 3), dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz; 4), and 4b,5,7,7a-tetrahydro-4b,7a-epiminomethanoimino-6H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline-6,13-dione (bipyridylglycoluril; bpg; 5) have been synthesized and characterized by structural, analytical, and spectral methods. The single-crystal X-ray structures of 1, 2, and 5 exhibit a distorted square-pyramidal structure, with the polypyridyl ligands and maltol occupying equatorial positions and either a water or nitrate anion at the axial position. The N,N-dimethylformamide glass as well as the single-crystal electron paramagnetic resonance of the complexes confirms the distorted square-pyramidal structure. The DNA binding investigated using different techniques (absorption titration, viscosity, thermal melting, and fluorescence quenching) indicates the partial intercalation of the planar polypyridyl ligands into DNA. The complexes cleave plasmid pBR322 DNA by a hydrolytic mechanism. The kinetic aspects of DNA cleavage under pseudo-Michaelis-Menten and true Michaelis-Menten conditions as well as the phosphodiesterase activity using model 4-nitrophenylphosphate are also detailed. The cytotoxicity of the complexes against HeLa (cervical) cancer cell lines shows that synergy between the metal and ligands results in a significant enhancement in the cell death with IC(50) of approximately 150-270 microg mL(-1).

Cytotoxicity of the traditional chinese medicine (TCM) plumbagin in its copper chemistry

The anticancer traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), plumbagin (PLN), was isolated from Plumbago Zeylanica. Reaction of plumbagin with Cu(II) salt, afforded [Cu(PLN)(2)].2H(2)O (1). With 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) as a co-ligand, PLN reacts with Cu(II) to give [Cu(PLN)(bipy)(H(2)O)](2)(NO(3))(2).4H(2)O (2). 1 and 2 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, ESI-MS spectra. Their crystal structures were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The in vitro cytotoxicity of PLN, 1 and 2 against seven human tumour cell lines was assayed. The metal-based compounds exhibit enhanced cytotoxicity vs. that of free PLN, suggesting that these compounds display synergy in the combination of metal ions with PLN. The binding properties of PLN, 1 and 2 to DNA were investigated through UV-vis, fluorescence, CD spectra, and gel mobility shift assay, which indicated that 1 and 2 were non-covalent binding and mainly intercalated the neighboring base pairs of DNA. PLN, 1 and 2 exhibit inhibition activity to topoisomerase I (TOPO I), but 1 and 2 were more effective than PLN.