Inducement and stabilization of G-quadruplex DNA by a thiophene-containing dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex

G-quadruplex structures are attractive targets for the development of anticancer drugs, as their formation in human telomere could impair telomerase activity, thus inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. In this work, a thiophene-containing dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex, [Ru₂(bpy)₄(H₂bipt)]⁴⁺ {bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, H₂bipt = 2,5-bis[1,10]phenanthrolin[4,5-f]-(imidazol-2-yl)thiophene}, was prepared and the interaction between the complex and human telomeric DNA oligomers 5′-G₃(T₂AG₃)₃-3′ (HTG21) has been investigated by UV-Vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting assay, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) stop assay, fluorescent intercalator displacement (FID) titrations, Job plot and color reaction studies. The results indicate that the complex can well induce and stabilize the formation of antiparallel G-quadruplex of telomeric DNA in the presence or absence of metal cations, and the ΔT_m value of the G-quadruplex DNA treated with the complex was obtained to be 12.8 °C even at levels of 50-fold molar of duplex DNA (calf-thymus DNA), suggesting that the complex exhibits higher G-quadruplex DNA selectivity over duplex DNA. The complex shows high interaction ability with G-quadruplex DNA at (1.17 ± 0.12) × 10⁷ M^?1 binding affinity using a 2:1 [complex]/[quadruplex] binding mode ratio. A novel visual method has been developed here for making a distinction between G-quadruplex DNA and duplex DNA by our ruthenium complex binding hemin to form the hemin-G-quadruplex DNAzyme.     

Long-lived and temperature-independent emission from a novel ruthenium(II) complex having an arylborane charge-transfer unit

We report the redox, absorption, and emission characteristics of the tris(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) bearing a (dimesityl)boryldurylethynyl (DBDE) charge-transfer (CT) unit at the 4 (4BRu(2+)) or 5 (5BRu(2+)) position of one of the three phen ligands. In acetonitrile at 298 K, 4BRu(2+) showed absorption and emission maximum wavelengths at 473 and 681 nm, respectively, which were shifted to longer wavelengths by 25 and 74 nm, respectively, compared with the relevant value of 5BRu(2+), 448 and 607 nm, respectively. The effects of a fluoride ion on the absorption and emission spectra of the complexes demonstrated that the CT interaction between the π-electron system in the phen ligand (π(aryl)) and the vacant p orbital on the boron atom (p(B)) in the DBDE group (i.e., π(aryl)-p(B) CT) participated in the excited states of the complexes in addition to the Ru(II)-to-phen metal-to-ligand CT (MLCT) interaction. Reflecting such synergistic MLCT/π(aryl)-p(B) CT, both 4BRu(2+) and 5BRu(2+) exhibited intense emission at 298 K with a quantum yield of 0.11. Furthermore, the emission lifetime of 4BRu(2+) was as long as 12 μs and almost independent of the temperature (T = 280-330 K). The present study indicated that the nonemissive dd excited triplet state did not participate to nonradiative decay in the MLCT excited triplet state of 4BRu(2+). The effects of the synergistic MLCT/π(aryl)-p(B) CT interactions on the redox, absorption/emission, and photophysical characteristics of 4BRu(2+) and 5BRu(2+) are discussed in detail.     

Cytotoxic and DNA-binding properties of two ruthenium(II) porphyrin complexes

Two ruthenium(II) porphyrin complexes [Ru(L)₂Cl(PTP)]⁺ (L = bpy, 1, phen; 2; PTP = 5-(3′-pyridyl)-10,15,20-trimethylphenylporphyrin) have been synthesized and their antitumor activities have been evaluated by MTT(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) methods. Both complexes exhibit high inhibitory activity against the growth of human cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa, both with and without light treatment. However, when treated with light, the inhibitory activity for both complexes increases at low drug concentration. Spectroscopic studies show that both complexes can bind to HeLa DNA tightly with apparent binding constants of 1.54(±0.07) × 10⁵ and 1.01(±0.02) × 10⁵ M⁻¹ for 1 and 2, respectively.     

Formation of a dinuclear imido complex from the reaction of a ruthenium(VI) nitride with a ruthenium(II) hydride

The treatment of [Ru(L(OEt))(N)Cl(2)] (1; L(OEt)(-) = [Co(η(5)-C(5)H(5)){P(O)(OEt)(2)}(3)](-)) with Et(3)SiH affords [Ru(L(OEt))Cl(2)(NH(3))] (2), whereas that with [Ru(L(OEt))(H)(CO)(PPh(3))] (3) gives the dinuclear imido complex [(L(OEt))Cl(2)Ru(μ-NH)Ru(CO)(PPh(3))(L(OEt))] (4). The imido group in 4 binds to the two ruthenium atoms unsymmetrically with Ru-N distances of 1.818(6) and 1.952(6) ?. The reaction between 1 and 3 at 25 °C in a toluene solution is first order in both complexes with a second-order rate constant determined to be (7.2 ± 0.4) × 10(-5) M(-1) s(-1).     

DNA-binding and cleavage studies of a dinuclear copper(II) complex with a 26-membered hexaazamacrocycle

The complex, [Cu₂LCl₂]Cl₂ · 3H₂O, where L = the macrocyclic ligand bis-p-xylylBISDIEN Schiff base, has been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, i.r. and mass spectra. The binding of the complex with calf thymus DNA has been investigated using absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, fluorescence spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. The results suggest that the complex can bind to CT DNA by intercalation via the aromatic ring on the macrocycle into the base pairs of DNA. The complex exhibits efficient nuclease activity.     

DNA-binding properties studies and spectra of a novel Cu(II) complex with a new coumarin derivative

A new coumarin derivative (8-methylcoumaro-4a,10a-pyrone-3-carbaldehyde benzoyl hydrazone) ligand and its novel Cu(II) complex have been synthesized and characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, molar conductivities, (1)H-NMR, IR spectra, UV-visible spectroscopy and thermal analyses. In addition, the interactions of the Cu(II) complex and the ligand with calf-thymus DNA were investigated by spectrometric titrations, ethidium bromide displacement experiments and viscosity measurements. It was found that both the two compounds, specially the Cu(II) complex, strongly bind with calf-thymus DNA, presumably via an intercalation mechanism.     

The photocleavage properties of a novel ruthenium(II) complex on liver cancer cells Bel-7402 DNA

A novel ruthenium(II) complex [Ru(bpy)₂DMHPIP] (DMHPIP = 2-(3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) (1) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, ¹H-NMR and ESI-MS. The DNA binding properties of the complex has also been investigated by electronic spectra and emission spectra, and the results show that complex (1) bind to DNA with high affinity. On the other hand, the photocleavage property of complex (1) on liver cancer cells lines Bel-7402 DNA has been investigated by electrophoresis agarose gels, and the results show that the complex can promote liver cancer cells Bel-7402 DNA from the supercoiled form to the nicked form excellently.     

Luminescence and oxygen sensing properties of ORMOSILs covalently grafted with a novel ruthenium(II) complex

A series of VTES/TEOS composite xerogels covalently grafted with a novel complex Ru(phen)₂(Dppz-Si)Cl₂ were prepared, using the alkoxysilane-modified dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine compound (denoted as Dppz-Si) as the second ligand of the Ru(phen)₂Cl₂ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) complex and a precursor of the sol–gel process. Bulk xerogels were obtained by co-hydrolyzing and co-condensation from a mixture of triethoxysilane (TEOS), Ru(phen)₂(Dppz-Si)Cl₂ and Vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). The luminescence intensity of composite xerogels is enhanced by 18.2 times, and the sensitivity is improved from 1.1 to 3.1 by optimizing the molar ratio of VTES to TEOS. The composite xerogel containing 80% VTES in precursor was optimal, exhibiting the maximum luminescence intensity and sensitivity. These results indicate that the complex Ru(phen)₂(Dppz-Si)Cl₂ is sensitive to oxygen concentration, VTES is a kind of excellent organic modifier and can greatly improved photoluminescent (PL) and oxygen sensing performances.     

A pyrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complex induces only minor distortions upon DNA-binding

The cytotoxic, pyrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complex [(cis-{Pt(NH3)2})2(mu-OH)(mu-pz)]2+ (pz=pyrazolate) has been found to cross-link two adjacent guanines of a double-stranded DNA decamer without destabilizing the duplex and without changing the directionality of the helix axis. A 1H NMR study of the oligonucleotide d(CTCTG*G*TCTC)-d(GAGACCAGAG), cross-linked at the two G* guanines by [(cis-{Pt(NH3)2})2(mu-pz)]3+, and molecular dynamics simulations of the explicitly solvated duplex were performed to characterize the structural details of the adduct. The dinuclear platinum cross-link unwinds the helix by approximately 15 degrees , that is, to a similar extent as the widely used antitumor drug cisplatin, but, in contrast to the latter, induces no significant bend in the helix axis. The Watson-Crick base-pairing remains intact, and the melting temperature of the duplex is unaffected by the cross-link. The helical twist is considerably reduced between the two platinated bases, as becomes manifest in an unusually short sequential H1'-H1' distance. This unwinding also affects the sugar ring of the guanosine in the 3'-position to the cross-link, which presents an N<-->S equilibrium. This is the first cytotoxic platinum complex that has been successfully designed by envisioning the structural consequences of its binding to DNA.     

A dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex that functions as a label-free colorimetric sensor for DNA

A dinuclear ruthenium(II) complex groove binds to DNA and this interaction results in distinctive color changes that are dependent on both DNA sequence and structure.     

Ground- and excited-state electronic structure of an emissive pyrazine-bridged ruthenium(II) dinuclear complex

The synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical, photophysical, and photochemical properties of the binuclear compounds [(Ru(H8-bpy)2)2((Metr)2Pz)](PF6)2 (1) and [(Ru(D8-bpy)2)2((Metr)2Pz)](PF6)2 (2), where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine and H2(Metr)2Pz is the planar ligand 2,5-bis(5'-methyl-4'H-[1,2,4]triaz-3'-yl)pyrazine, are reported. Electrochemical and spectro-electrochemical investigations indicate that the ground-state interaction between each metal center is predominantly electrostatic and in the mixed-valence form only a low level of ground-state delocalization is present. Resonance Raman, transient, and time-resolved spectroscopies enable a detailed assignment to be made of the excited-state photophysical properties of the complexes. Deuteriation is employed to both facilitate spectroscopic characterization and investigate the nature of the lowest excited states.     

Synthesis of a ruthenium(II) polypyridine complex with 1,10-phenanthrolineselenazole as ligand and investigation of its G-quadruplex DNA-binding properties

A new Ru(II) complex, [Ru(bpy)₂L](ClO₄)₂ (bpy?=?2,2′-bipyridine, L?=?1,10-phenanthrolineselenazole), has been synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, and ¹H NMR. The interaction of human telomeric oligomer 5′-AG₃(T₂AG₃)₃-3′ with the Ru(II) complex was explored by competition FRET experiment, ?uorescence titration, circular dichroism spectroscopy, thermal denaturation, polymerase chain reaction stop assay, and TRAP assay. The Ru(II) complex can selectively bind to G-quadruplex DNA. The results indicated that the complex not only induces a remarkable conformational change of human telomeric DNA, but also has the ability to stabilize the G-quadruplex.     

DNA-binding properties studies and spectra of a novel fluorescent Zn(II) complex with a new chromone derivative

A new chromone derivative (6-ethoxy chromone-3-carbaldehyde benzoyl hydrazone) ligand (L) and its two transition metal complexes [Zn(II) complex and Ni(II) complex] have been prepared and characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, molar conductivity, mass spectra, UV–vis spectra and IR spectra. The Zn(II) complex exhibits light blue fluorescence under UV light, and the fluorescent properties of Zn(II) complex and the ligand in solid state and in different solutions (MeOH, DMF, THF and H₂O) were investigated. In addition, the interactions of the Zn(II) complex and the ligand with calf thymus DNA were investigated using UV–vis absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroic spectral methods and viscosity measurement. It was founded that both two compounds, especially the Zn(II) complex, strongly bind with calf thymus DNA, presumably via an intercalation mechanism.     

Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium(II) 1,6,7,12-tetraazaperylene complexes

We report the synthesis of free 1,6,7,12-tetraazaperylene (tape). Tape was obtained from 1,1'-bis-2,7-naphthyridine by potassium promoted cyclization followed by oxidation with air. Mono- and dinuclear ruthenium(II) 1,6,7,12-tetraazaperylene complexes of the general formulas [Ru(L-L)(2)(tape)](PF(6))(2), [1](PF(6))(2)-[5](PF(6))(2), and [{Ru(L-L)(2)}(2)(μ-tape)](PF(6))(4), [6](PF(6))(4)-[10](PF(6))(4), with{L-L = phen, bpy, dmbpy (4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine), dtbbpy (4,4'-ditertbutyl-2,2'-bipyridine) and tmbpy (4,4'5,5'-tetramethyl-2,2'-bipyridine)}, respectively, were synthesized. The X-ray structures of tape·2CHCl(3) and the mononuclear complexes [Ru(bpy)(2)(tape)](PF(6))(2)·0.5CH(3)CN·0.5toluene, [Ru(dmbpy)(2)(tape)](PF(6))(2)·2toluene and [Ru(dtbbpy)(2)(tape)](PF(6))(2)·3acetone·0.5H(2)O were solved. The UV-vis absorption spectra and the electrochemical behavior of the ruthenium(ii) tape complexes were explored and compared with the data of the analogous dibenzoeilatin (dbneil), 2,2'-bipyrimidine (bpym) and tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3',2'-h:2',3'-j]phenazin (tpphz) species.     

Dual triggering of DNA binding and fluorescence via photoactivation of a dinuclear ruthenium(II) arene complex

The dinuclear RuII arene complexes [{(eta6-arene)RuCl}2(mu-2,3-dpp)](PF6)2, arene=indan (1), benzene (2), p-cymene (3), or hexamethylbenzene (4) and 2,3-dpp=2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine, have been synthesized and characterized. Upon irradiation with UVA light, complexes 1 and 2 readily underwent arene loss, while complexes 3 and 4 did not. The photochemistry of 1 was studied in detail. In the X-ray structure of [{(eta6-indan)RuCl}2(mu-2,3-dpp)](PF6)2 (1), 2,3-dpp bridges two RuII centers 6.8529(6) A apart. In water, aquation of 1 in the dark occurs with replacement of chloride with biexponential kinetics and decay constants of 100+/-1 min-1 and 580+/-11 min-1. This aquation was suppressed by 0.1 M NaCl. UV or visible irradiation of 1 in aqueous or methanolic solution led to arene loss. The fluorescence of the unbound arene is approximately 40 times greater than when it is complexed. Irradiation of 1 also had a significant effect on its interactions with DNA. The DNA binding of 1 is increased after irradiation. The non-irradiated form of 1 preferentially formed DNA adducts that only weakly blocked RNA polymerase, while irradiation of 1 transformed the adducts into stronger blocks for RNA polymerase. The efficiency of irradiated 1 to form DNA interstrand cross-links was slightly greater than that of cisplatin in both 10 mM NaClO4 and 0.1 M NaCl. In contrast, the interstrand cross-linking efficiency of non-irradiated 1 in 10 mM NaClO4 was relatively low. An intermediate amount of cross-linking was observed when the sample of DNA already modified by non-irradiated 1 was irradiated. DNA unwinding measurements supported the conclusion that both mono- and bifunctional adducts with DNA can form. These results show that photoactivation of dinuclear RuII arene complexes can simultaneously produce a highly reactive ruthenium species that can bind to DNA and a fluorescent marker (the free arene). Importantly, the mechanism of photoreactivity is also independent of oxygen. These complexes, therefore, have the potential to combine both photoinduced cell death and fluorescence imaging of the location and efficiency of the photoactivation process.     

Synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties of cyclometallated ruthenium(II) complex

A new ruthenium complex, (4-carboxy-1,10-phenantroline-7-carboxylate)(4,7-dicarboxy-1,10-phenantroline)(2-phenylpyridino-²C,N) ruthenium(II), was obtained for the application as a sensitizer in photoelectrochemical converters (PECC). Electrochemical and spectral characteristics of the compound were studied. It was found that the illumination of PECC with AM 1.5 100 mW/cm² solar spectrum simulator provides short circuit current density of 3.9 mA cm^?2 and broken circuit voltage of 0.47 V. PECC efficiency is 1.4% at fillfactor 76%. The lifetimes of charge carriers (electrons) and their transit time determined by modulation spectroscopy were found to be 28 and 4 ms, respectively.     

Synthesis and DNA-binding properties of dinuclear platinum(II)-amine complexes of 1,7-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(12)

The first examples of platinum(II)-amine complexes containing a dicarba-closo-dodecaborane(12) (carborane) moiety are described; preliminary in vitro DNA-binding experiments indicate that the complexes are capable of targetting plasmid DNA.