Characterization of platinum(II) complexes exhibiting inhibitory activity against the 20S proteasome

Proteasome inhibitors are useful for biochemical research and clinical treatment. In our previous study, we reported that the 4N-coordinated platinum complexes with anthracenyl ring and heterocycle exhibited proteasome-inhibitory activity. In the present study, the structure-activity relationships and characterization of these complexes were determined for the elucidation of the role of aromatic ligands. Lineweaver-Burk analysis revealed that the chemical structure of heterocycles affects the binding mode of platinum complexes. Platinum complexes with anthracenyl ring and pyridine showed competitive inhibition, although platinum complexes with anthracenyl ring and phenanthroline showed non-competitive inhibition. The structure-activity relationships demonstrated that anthracenyl moiety plays a crucial role in proteasome-inhibitory activity. The platinum complexes with naphthyl or phenyl rings exhibited lower inhibitory activities than the platinum complex with anthracenyl ring. The reactivity with N-acetylcysteine varied according to the chemical structure of complexes.

Encapsulation of platinum(II)-based DNA intercalators within cucurbit[6,7,8]urils

The partial encapsulation of platinum(II)-based DNA intercalators of the type [Pt(5-Cl-phen)(ancillary ligand)](2+), where 5-Cl-phen is 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline and the ancillary ligand is ethylenediamine, (1S,2S)-diaminocyclohexane (S,S-dach) or (1R,2R)-diaminocyclohexane, within cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n], where n is 6, 7 or 8) has been examined by (1)H and (195)Pt NMR and mass spectrometry. For CB[7], the molecule encapsulates over the ancillary ligand of all metal complexes, whether this is ethylenediamine or diaminocyclohexane. For CB[8], encapsulation occurs over the sides of the 5-Cl-phen ligand at low [Pt(5-Cl-phen)(S,S-dach)](2+) (5CLSS) to CB[8] ratios (i.e. 0.25:1) but over the ancillary ligand at higher ratios (i.e. 2:1). For CB[6] binding, 5CLSS exhibits both portal and cavity binding, with the ancillary ligand displaying chemical shifts consistent with fast exchange kinetics on the NMR timescale for portal binding and slow exchange kinetics for cavity binding. Binding constants could not be determined using UV-vis, circular dichroism or fluorescence spectrophotometry, but a binding constant for binding of 5CLSS to CB[6] of approximately 10(5) M(-1) was determined using (1)H NMR. Finally, the effect of CB[n] encapsulation on the cytotoxicity of the metal complexes was examined using L1210 murine leukaemia cells in vitro growth inhibition assays. The cytotoxicity is highly dependent on both the metal complex and the CB[n] size, and whilst CB[7] and CB[8] generally decreased cytotoxicity, it was found that CB[6] increased the cyotoxicity of 5CLSS up to 2.5-fold.

π–π Stacking assisted binding of aromatic amino acids by copper(ii)–aromatic diimine complexes. Effects of ring substituents on ternary complex stability

Ternary Cu(ii) complexes containing an aromatic diimine (DA = di(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (dpa), 4,4'-disubstituted 2,2'-bipyridine (Y(2)bpy; Y = H (bpy), Me, Cl, N(Et)(2), CONH(2) or COOEt) or 2,2'-bipyrimidine) and an aromatic amino acid (AA = l-phenylalanine (Phe), p-substituted phenylalanine (XPhe; X = NH(2), NO(2), F, Cl or Br), l-tyrosine (Tyr), l-tryptophan (Trp) or l-alanine (Ala)) were characterized by X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and potentiometric measurements. The structures of [Cu(dpa)(Trp)]ClO(4).2H(2)O and [Cu((CONH(2))(2)bpy)(Phe)]ClO(4).H(2)O in the solid state were revealed to have intramolecular pi-pi interactions between the Cu(ii)-coordinated aromatic ring moiety, Cu(DA) (Mpi), and the side chain aromatic ring of the AA (Lpi). The intensities of Mpi-Lpi interactions were evaluated by the stability constants of the ternary Cu(ii) complexes determined at 25 degrees C and I = 0.1 M (KNO(3)), which revealed that the stability enhancement of the Cu(DA)(AA) systems due to the interactions is in the order (CONH(2))(2)bpy < bpy < Me(2)bpy < (Et(2)N)(2)bpy with respect to DA. The results indicate that the electron density of coordinated aromatic diimines influences the intensities of the stacking interactions in the Cu(DA)(AA) systems. The Mpi-Lpi interactions are also influenced by the substituents, X, of Lpi and are in linear relationship with their Hammett sigma(p) values with the exception of X = Cl and Br.

A spectroscopic investigation of the self-association and DNA binding properties of a series of ternary ruthenium(II) complexes

Six ruthenium(II) complexes of the general form cis-alpha-[Ru(N4-tetradentate)(N2-bidentate)]Cl2 have been synthesized from the two related tetradentate ligands 1,6-di(2'-pyridyl)-2,5-dimethyl-2,5-diazahexane (picenMe2) and 1,6-di(2'-pyridyl)-2,5-dibenzyl-2,5-diazahexane (picenBz2) and the bidentate ligands 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) and dipyrido[3,2-f:2'3'-h]quinoxaline (dpq). Synthetic intermediate species of the general form cis-alpha-[Ru(II)(N4-tetradentate)(DMSO)Cl][PF6] were isolated. The N4-tetradentate ligand picenMe2 formed only the cis-alpha stereoisomer, while picenBz2 formed both the cis-alpha and cis-beta stereoisomers. These latter stereoisomers were resolved by fractional crystallisation. Dimer self-association constants, K(D), were estimated from the concentration dependence of the 1H NMR shifts for some of these complexes in aqueous solutions at 25 degrees C. The values of K(D) ranged from 0.6 to 7.9 M(-1) and a relationship was observed between the aromatic surface area of the bidentate component and the degree to which self-association occurred, whereby a greater level of self-association correlates with a larger surface area for the bidentate ligand. Some of these complexes demonstrate an ability to bind to DNA that is consistent with intercalation of the bidentate molecular component between the base pairs of the DNA molecule. Using calf-thymus DNA, the equilibrium binding constants, K(B), were determined for some of the complexes using intrinsic methods and these ranged from 3.32 to 5.11 M(-1), the intercalating abilities of the different bidentate ligands being in the order dp q > phen > bipy. This relationship between aromatic surface area of the bidentate ligand and the degree of DNA binding activity is the same as that observed in the self-association study.

Noncovalent Interactions of Platinum(II) Square Planar Complexes Containing Ligands Out-of-Plane with DNA

The interaction of the complexes [Pt(bipy)(4-Rpy)(2)](2+) and [Pt(4,4'-Ph(2)bipy)(4-Rpy)(2)](2+) (Ph = phenyl; bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine; R = H, CN, CH(3), NH(2)) with DNA has been studied with a series of techniques. The processes give rise to (i) lengthening of rodlike DNA and unwinding of closed circular DNA and (ii) an increase in the DNA melting temperature comparable with that observed for known intercalators. In addition, the reaction of the complexes [Pt(bipy)(py)(2)](2+) and [Pt(4,4'-Ph(2)bipy)(py)(2)](2+) is inhibited by the presence of DNA. These results have been interpreted by assuming that the substances intercalate in spite of the presence of ligands out of plane. The crystal structure determined for [Pt(4,4'-Ph(2)bipy)(3,5-Me(2)py)(2)](2+) by X-ray analysis shows that also one of the phenyl rings is twisted with respect to the square plane. Binding constants, K(B), determined spectrophotometrically at 25 degrees C and pH 7 using the McGhee-von Hippel approach, increase for both series of complexes on increasing pK(a) of coordinated pyridines and are larger for those with 4,4'-Ph(2)bipy. The increasing affinity for DNA on increasing electron density of the interacting moiety is accounted for by assuming that London dispersion forces play a major role in the processes.