RESUMEN

Two new p-cresol-2,6-bis(amide-tether-dpa4-X) ligands (HL4-X, X = MeO and Cl) and their dicopper complexes [Cu2(µ-1,1-OAc)(µ-1,3-OAc)(L4-MeO)]Y (Y = PF6 1a, OAc 1b) and [Cu2(µ-1,3-OAc)2(L4-Cl)]Y (Y = ClO4 2a, OAc 2b) were synthesized. The electronic and hydrophobic effects of the MeO and Cl groups were examined compared with nonsubstituted complex [Cu2(µ-1,1-OAc)(µ-1,3-OAc)(L)]+ (3). The electronic effects were found in crystal structures, spectroscopic characterization, and redox potentials of these complexes. 1b and 2b were reduced to Cu(I)Cu(I) with sodium ascorbate and reductively activated O2 to produce H2O2 and HO•. The H2O2 release and HO• generation are promoted by the electronic effects. The hydrophobic effects increased the lipophilicity of 1b and 2b. Cellular ROS generation of 1b, 2b, and 3 was visualized by DCFH-DA. To examine the intracellular behavior, boron dipyrromethene (Bodipy)-modified complexes 4B and 5B corresponding to 1b and 2b were synthesized. These support that 1b and 2b are localized at the ER and Golgi apparatus. The cytotoxicity of 1b and 2b against various cell lines was examined by MTT assay. 1b and 2b were 7- and 41-fold more cytotoxic than 3. 1b generated ROS selectively in cancer cell but 2b nonselectively in cancer and normal cells, causing cancer- and normal-cell-selective cytotoxicity, respectively.

Asunto(s)

Antineoplásicos , Complejos de Coordinación , Cobre , Interacciones Hidrofóbicas e Hidrofílicas , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno , Humanos , Complejos de Coordinación/farmacología , Complejos de Coordinación/química , Complejos de Coordinación/síntesis química , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/síntesis química , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismo , Cobre/química , Cobre/farmacología , Ensayos de Selección de Medicamentos Antitumorales , Estructura Molecular , Cresoles/química , Cresoles/farmacología , Cresoles/síntesis química , Línea Celular Tumoral , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Electrones , Amidas/química , Amidas/farmacología , Amidas/síntesis química

RESUMEN

The DNA target/ligand conjugates (HLX, X = Pn and Mn, n = 1-3) were synthesized where various lengths of -CONH(CH2CH2O)nCH2CH2NHCO- linkers with a 9-phenanthrenyl (P) or methyl (M) terminal as DNA targets replace the methyl group of 2,6-di(amide-tether cyclen)-p-cresol ligand (HL). DNA binding, DNA cleavage, cellular uptake, and cytotoxicity of [Cu2(µ-OH)(LX)](ClO4)2 (1X) are examined and compared with those of [Cu2(µ-OH)(L)](ClO4)2 (1) to clarify roles of DNA targets. Upon reaction of 1X with H2O2, µ-1,1-O2H complexes are formed for DNA cleavage. 1P1, 1P2, and 1P3 are 22-, 11-, 3-fold more active for conversion of Form II to III in the cleavage of supercoiled plasmid DNA with H2O2 than 1, where the short P-linker may fix a dicopper moiety within a small number of base pairs to facilitate DNA double-strand breaks (dsb). This enhances the proapoptotic activity of 1P1, 1P2, and 1P3, which are 30-, 12-, and 9.9-fold cytotoxic against HeLa cells than 1. DNA dsb and cytotoxicity are 44% correlated in 1P1-3 but 5% in 1M1-3, suggesting specific DNA binding of P-linkers and nonspecific binding of M-linkers in biological cells. 1P1-3 exert cancer cell-selective cytotoxicity against lung and pancreas cancer and normal cells where the short P-linker enhances the selectivity, but 1M1-3 do not. Intracellular visualization, apoptosis assay, and caspase activity assay clarify mitochondrial apoptosis caused by 1P1-3. The highest cancer cell selectivity of 1P1 may be enabled by the short P-linker promoting dsb of mitochondrial DNA with H2O2 increased by mitochondrial dysfunction in cancer cells.