Dual inhibition of topoisomerases I and IIα by ruthenium(II) complexes containing asymmetric tridentate ligands

Five novel ruthenium(II) complexes, [Ru(dtzp)(dppt)](2+) (1), [Ru(dtzp)(pti)](2+) (2), [Ru(dtzp)(ptn)](2+) (3), [Ru(dtzp)(pta)](2+) (4) and [Ru(dtzp)(ptp)](2+) (5) (where dtzp = 2,6-di(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine, dppt = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-5,6-diphenyl-as-triazine), pti = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-as-triazino-[5,6-f]isatin, ptn = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]naphthalene, pta = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]acenaphthylene, and ptp = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]-phenanthrene), were synthesised and characterised. The structures of complexes 3-5 were determined by X-ray diffraction. The DNA binding behaviours of the complexes were studied by spectroscopic and viscosity measurements. The results suggested that the Ru(II) complexes, except for complex 1, bind to DNA in an intercalative mode. Topoisomerase inhibition and DNA strand passage assay confirmed that Ru(II) complexes 3, 4, and 5 acted as efficient dual inhibitors of topoisomerases I and IIα. In vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that these complexes exhibited anticancer activity against various cancer cell lines. Ruthenium(ii) complexes were confirmed to preferentially accumulate in the nucleus of cancer cells and induced DNA damage. Flow cytometric analysis and AO/EB staining assays indicated that these complexes induced cell apoptosis. With the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, the Ru(ii) complexes induce apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway.

Targeting telomeric G-quadruplexes with the ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(bpy)(2)(ptpn)](2+) and [Ru(phen)(2)(ptpn)](2+)

Two ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes, [Ru(bpy)(2)(ptpn)](2+) (1) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, ptpn = 3-(1,10-phenanthroline-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]1,10-phenanthroline) and [Ru(phen)(2)(ptpn)](2+) (2) (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), were synthesized and characterized. Crystal structure analysis shows that complex 1 has a large planar aromatic area and possesses the potential to fit the geometric structure of G-quadruplex. The interaction of the G-quadruplex DNA with Ru(ii) complexes was explored by means of circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting assay, competitive FRET assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) stop assay. The results indicated that complexes 1 and 2 both have the ability to promote the formation and stabilization of the human telomeric d[(TTAGGG)(n)] (HTG22) quadruplex and exhibit high G-quadruplex DNA selectivity over duplex DNA. The telomere repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and long-term proliferation experiments further demonstrate that the Ru(II) complexes are potent telomerase inhibitors and HeLa cell proliferation inhibitors.

Self-activating nuclease and anticancer activities of copper(II) complexes with aryl-modified 2,6-di(thiazol-2-yl)pyridine

Three mononuclear copper complexes [Cu(PDTP)Cl2] (PDTP = 4-phenyl-2,6-di(thiazole-2-yl)pyridine, CuPDTP), [Cu(ADTP)Cl2] (ADTP = 4-(anthracen-9-yl)-2,6-di(thiazole-2-yl)pyridine, CuADTP) and [Cu(BFDTP)Cl2] (BFDTP = 4-(benzofuran-2-yl)-2,6-di(thiazole-2-yl)pyridine, CuBFDTP) were synthesized and characterized. The X-ray single crystallography results indicated that the Cu(II) ions showed slightly distorted square pyramid coordination environments, and the ligands deviated from ideal planarity in all three compounds. Based on the DNA binding studies, it was demonstrated that these three complexes exhibited weak DNA binding strengths, which were most likely groove binding modes. CuPDTP, CuADTP and CuBFDTP induced efficient DNA cleavage in the dark without the addition of external catalysts (oxidant or reductant). In contrast, in the presence of reducing or oxidizing agents, the nuclease activities increased more than 10-fold. Mechanistic investigations revealed the participation of reactive oxygen species, which can be trapped by ROS radical scavengers and ROS sensors. In the same experimental conditions, the free ligands and CuCl2 did not display any DNA cleaving activity. This result indicates that the complexes, rather than their components, play a significant role in the nuclease reaction process and that DNA cleavage may be initiated in an oxidative pattern. The proposed mechanism was attributed to the in situ activation of molecular oxygen by the oxidation of the copper complexes. In the MTT cytotoxicity studies, the three Cu(II) complexes exhibited an antitumor activity against the HeLa, BEL-7402 and HepG2 tumor cell lines. The HeLa cells treated with Cu(II) complexes demonstrated marked changes in their nuclear morphology, which were detected by Hoechst 33258 nuclear staining and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining assays. Nuclear chromatin cleavage also was observed from alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay).

Synthesis, characterization, and DNA-binding studies of ruthenium complexes [Ru(tpy)(ptn)]2+ and Ru(dmtpy)(ptn)]2+

Two ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes [Ru(tpy)(ptn)](2+) (1) and Ru(dmtpy)(ptn)](2+) (2) (ptn=3-(1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]naphthalene, tpy=2,2':6',2"-terpyridine, dmtpy=5,5'-dimethyl-2,2':6',2"-terpyridine) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, (1)H NMR, mass spectrometry and crystal structure analysis. Spectroscopic studies together with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and viscosity measurements prove that two complexes bind to DNA in an intercalative mode. ITC experiments show that the binding mode for complex 2 is entropically driven, while an entropy-driven initial binding of complex 1 is followed by an entropically and enthalpically favorable process. This difference may be attributed to the ancillary ligand effects on the DNA binding of Ru(II) complexes. Circular dichroism titrations of calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) with Ru(II) complexes show that complexes 1 and 2 induce B to Z conformational transition of calf thymus DNA at low ionic strength (0.05 M NaCl). The induced Z-DNA conformation can revert to B form when Ru(II) complexes are displaced by ethidium bromide or at high ionic strengths ([NaCl]=0.4 M), but keeps intact with temperature ranged from 25 to 90 °C. The unique structure and characteristics of Ru(II) complexes designed in this investigation will be useful for the study of Z-DNA.

DNA interactions of cobalt(III) mixed-polypyridyl complexes containing asymmetric ligands

Three novel asymmetric ligands, 3-(pyridine-2-yl)-5,6-diphenyl-as-triazine (pdtb), 3-(pyridine-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]acenaphthylene (pdta) and 3-(pyridine-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]phenanthroline (pdtp) and their cobalt(III) complexes have been synthesized and characterized. Binding of the three complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been investigated by spectroscopic methods, viscosity, cyclic voltammetry, and electrophoresis measurements. The experimental results indicate that the size and shape of the intercalated ligand have a marked effect on the binding affinity of complexes to CT-DNA. Complexes 2 and 3 have also been found to promote cleavage of plasmid pBR322 DNA from the supercoiled form I to the open circular form II upon irradiation.

Mono-, Di-, and Tetranuclear Ruthenium(II) Complexes Containing 3-(Pyridin-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]1,10-phenanthroline: Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical and Photophysical Properties

Mono-, di-, and tetranuclear Ru(II) polypyridine complexes based on the bridging ligand pdtp, where pdtp is 3-(pyridin-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]1,10-phenanthroline, have been synthesized and characterizated. This asymmetric bridging ligand is composed of two nonequivalent coordinating sites: one involves the phenanthroline moiety, and the other one involves the pyridyltriazine moiety. Electrochemical data show that the first redox process in these complexes is pdtp based and the metal-metal interaction in di- and tetranuclear complexes is very weak. The two oxidations (+1.41 and +1.56 V vs SCE) observed in dinuclear complex 2 are mainly ascribed to the different coordination environments of two metal centers. Absorption spectra are essentially the sum of the spectra of the component monometallic species. The emission spectra are measured both at room temperature and at 80 K in a 4:1 (v/v) EtOH/MeOH matrix. The complexes all display luminescence properties which are close to that featured by the parent [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) species. It is also noted that center-to-periphery energy transfer occurs in the dendritic tetranuclear complex 3.

DNA binding studies of ruthenium(II) complexes containing asymmetric tridentate ligands

Absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and viscosity measurements have been used to characterize the DNA binding of [Ru(tpy)(dppt)](2+) (tpy=2,2':6',2"-terpyridine, dppt=3-(1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)-5,6-diphenyl-as-triazine), [Ru(tpy)(pta)](2+) (pta=3-(1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]acenaphthylene) and [Ru(tpy)(ptp)](2+) (ptp=3-(1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)-as-triazino[5,6-f]-phenanthrene). The results indicate that [Ru(tpy)(pta)](2+) and [Ru(tpy)(ptp)](2+) bind with CT-DNA in an intercalative mode, while [Ru(tpy)(dppt)](2+) binds with DNA by partial intercalation. The ligand planarity of the complex has a significant effect on DNA binding affinity increases in the order [Ru(tpy)(dppt)](2+)<[Ru(tpy)(pta)](2+)<[Ru(tpy)(ptp)](2+).