Giovanni Tabbì

Copper(II) binding modes in the prion octapeptide PHGGGWGQ: a spectroscopic and voltammetric study.

The N-terminal octapeptide repeat region of human prion protein (PrPc) is known to bind Cu(II). To investigate the binding modes of copper in PrPc, an octapeptide Ac-PHGGGWGQ-NH2 (1), which corresponds to an octa-repeat sequence, and a tetrapeptide Ac-HGGG-NH2 (2) have been synthesised. The copper(II) complexes formed with 1 and 2 have been studied by circular dichroism (CD) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Both peptides form 1:1 complexes with Cu(II) at neutral and basic pH. CD, ESR and visible absorption spectra suggest a similar co-ordination sphere of the metal ion in both peptides, which at neutral pH consists of a square pyramidal geometry with three peptidic nitrogens and the imidazole nitrogen as donor atoms. Cyclic voltammetric measurements were used to confirm the geometrical features of these copper(II) complexes: the observation of negative redox potentials are in good agreement with the inferred geometry. All these results taken together suggest that peptide 1 provides a single metal binding site to which copper(II) binds strongly at neutral and basic pH and that the binding of the metal induces the formation of a stiffened structure in the HGGG peptide fragment.

A re-investigation of copper coordination in the octa-repeats region of the prion protein.

An aqueous solution spectroscopic (Vis and EPR) study of the copper(II) complexes with the Ac-HGGG-NH2 and Ac-PHGGGWGQ-NH2 polypeptides (generically designated as L) suggests square base pyramids ascribable to [Cu(L)H(-2)] complex species, which contain three nitrogen donor atoms, arising from imidazole and peptide groups, in the equatorial plane and for a pseudo-octahedral geometry in the case of [CuLH-3]- and [Cu(L)H-4]2- which have four nitrogen donor atoms in their equatorial plane. The coordination sphere of the copper complex in the [Cu(L)H(-2)] species, which is present at neutral pH values, is completed by two oxygen donor atoms. ESI-MS spectra ascertained that water molecules are not present in the coordination equatorial plane of this latter species, in comparison with other copper(II) complexes with ligands bearing nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms and surely having equatorial water molecules. This indicates the coordination of a carbonyl oxygen atom in the equatorial plane has to be invoked. However, no direct proof about the involvement of a carbonyl group oxygen donor atom apically linked to copper was obtained, due to the flexibility of these structures at room temperature. Additionally, the low A(ll) value leads one to consider another oxygen atom of a carbonyl group being involved in the apical bond to copper in a fast exchange fashion. This apical interaction, which may also involve a water molecule, is more pronounced in the Cu-Ac-HGGG-NH2 than in the analogous Cu-Ac-PHGGGWGQ-NH2 system, probably because of the presence of tryptophan and proline in the polypeptide sequence.

O2− scavenger properties of copper(II) complexes with diamino-diamide-type ligands

Abstract Copper(II) complexes with diamino-diamido-type ligands were tested as catalysts of O 2 − dismutation. ESR spectra of these systems showed that, in consequence of the O 2 − interaction, all the bis complexes of formula [Cu(L) 2 H −2 ] (where L = L-valylamide, L-phenylalanylamide, L-prolylamide) transformed into [Cu(L)H −1 (OH) 2 ] species. They also showed the highest scavenger as well as catalytic activity. The complex species formed after the interaction continued to show scavenger activity also. Stronger copper(II) complexes hardly interacted and showed scarce scavenger properties. In the series of [Cu(L′)H −2 ] complex species (where L′ = (S,S)N,N′-bis(phenylalanyl)-1,2-ethanediamine and -1,3-propanediamine, and (S,S)N,N′-bis(prolyl)-1,2-ethanediamine), the attempt to correlate catalytic activity with structural features revealed that a longer methylene chain could become a critical factor.

Determination of formal redox potentials in aqueous solution of copper(II) complexes with ligands having nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms and comparison with their EPR and UV-Vis spectral features

Formal redox potentials in aqueous solution were determined for copper(II) complexes with ligands having oxygen and nitrogen as donor atoms. All the chosen copper(II) complexes have well-known stereochemistries (pseudo-octahedral, square planar, square-based pyramidal, trigonal bipyramidal or tetrahedral) as witnessed by their reported spectroscopic, EPR and UV-visible (UV-Vis) features, so that a rough correlation between the measured redox potential and the typical geometrical arrangement of the copper(II) complex could be established. Negative values have been obtained for copper(II) complexes in tetragonally elongated pseudo-octahedral geometries, when measured against Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Copper(II) complexes in tetrahedral environments (or flattened tetrahedral geometries) show positive redox potential values. There is a region, always in the field of negative redox potentials which groups the copper(II) complexes exhibiting square-based pyramidal arrangements. Therefore, it is suggested that a measurement of the formal redox potential could be of great help, when some ambiguities might appear in the interpretation of spectroscopic (EPR and UV-Vis) data. Unfortunately, when the comparison is made between copper(II) complexes in square-based pyramidal geometries and those in square planar environments (or a pseudo-octahedral) a little perturbed by an equatorial tetrahedral distortion, their redox potentials could fall in the same intermediate region. In this case spectroscopic data have to be handled with great care in order to have an answer about a copper complex geometrical characteristics.

Synthetic models for biological trinuclear copper clusters. Trinuclear and binuclear complexes derived from an octadentate tetraamine-tetrabenzimidazole ligand

The new tetraamino-tetrabenzimidazole ligand N,N ′{bis[3-(1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl]amino}piperazine (L) has been synthesised together with a series of trinuclear and binuclear complexes. Two terminal binding sites with tridentate linkages (A sites) and one central binding site with the bidentate piperazine residue (B site) are used by the ligand to bind divalent metal centres in the trinuclear complexes [Cu H 3 L] 6+ , [Cu H 2 Zn H L] 6+ , and [Cu H 2 Co H L] 6+ . In the binuclear complex [Cu H 2 L] 4+ each nitrogen donor of the piperazine rine acts as an axial ligand for the two coppers bound to A sites, but these piperazine donors can be easily displaced by protonation to form the [Cu H 2 LH 2 )] 6+ species. The structure of this protonated complex has been determined by X-ray analysis. The crystals of composition [Cu H 2 (LH 2 )(CH 3 CN) 4 ][ClO 4 ] 6 ·2H 2 O·3CH 3 CN belong to the monoclinic system. space group P 2 1 /n with cell parametrs a = 10.661 (3), b = 23.014(3), c = 17.217(4)A, β = 96.58(2)°, Z = 2. The citation is arranged on a crystallographic symmetry centre, which is located at the middle of the protonated piperazine ring. The protonation at the piperazine N atoms is supported by the total charge of the cation and by the analysis of the difference Fourier map. The copper ions are five-coordinated, with ligation of the two benzimidazole residues and the tertiary N donor in the basal plane of a distorted square pyramid. Two CH 3 CN molecules, one at the basal, the other at the apical position, complete the coordination polyhedron. The centrosymmetric spacer, between the tertiary N atoms, deviates from the higher C 2h symmetry, so that the two approximately planar N (CH 2 ) 3 groupings lie in two parallel planes. Complexes containing reduced copper ions, [Cu H 2 L 2+ and [Cu H 2 Cu II L] 4+ , have also been obtained, but these ions do not bind to the piperazine B site which can only be used to coordinate divalent metal ions. The complexes containing Cu(II) centres exhibit EPR signals indicative of mononuclear species with tetragonal symmetry. The different coordination environment of [Cu H 2 L] 4+ with respect to [Cu H 2 Zn H L] 6+ , [Cu H 2 Co H L] 6+ or [Cu H 2 (LH 2 ] 6+ is reflected by a difference in the magnetic parameters of the complexes. The EPR spectrum of [Cu H 3 L] 6+ is very similar to those of [Cu H 2 Zn H L] 6+ , typical for Cu(II)-A sites, but the integrated intensity accounts for only about 2.2 paramagnetic centres per molecule. It is likely that a dipolar interaction between one of the Cu(II)-A centres and the Cu(II)-B centre produces severe broadening of the corersponding signals and apparent reduction in the overall EPR intensity. Voltammetric data in acetonitrile solution exhibit quasi-reversible electron transfer for the Cu(II)/Cu(II) couples with estimated reduction potentials in the range 0.39–0.56 V versus NHE. The voltammogram of [Cu H 3 L] 6+ run at low concentration and sweep rate shows that the three-electron transfer in split into one-electron and two-electron steps. Binding experiments show that the complexes bind azide molecules in the terminal mode to the copper (II) centres with affinity constants decreasing in the series: [Cu H 3 L] 6+ > [Cu H 2 L] 4+ . The complexes derived from L are catalytically active in the air oxidation of di-tert-butylcatechol (DTBC). The oxidations are biphasic, with a fast initial stoichiometric phae corresponding to reduction of a pair of copper(II) centres and oxidation of DTBC to quinone followed by the catalytic reaction. The catalytic reaction follows substrate saturation behaviour, with kinetic constants decreasing in the order: [Cu H 3 L 6+ > [Cu H 2 Co H L] 6+ > [Cu H 2 Zn H L] 6+ ≈ [Cu H 2 L] 4+ . Anaerobic experiments show that the two-electron oxidation of DTBC involves reduction of one Cu(II)-A site and the Cu(II)-B site for [Cu H 3 L] 6+ , both the Cu(II)-A sites of Cu H 2 Zn H L] 6+ and [Cu H 2 K] 4+ , but one Cu(II)-A and Co(III) in the case of the mixed [Cu H 2 Co 11 L] 6+ complex, since the Co(II) ion is rapidly oxidised to Co(III) in the conditions in which the catalytic reaction is carried out.

Copper(II) complexes encapsulated in human red blood cells

Copper(II) complexes were encapsulated in human red blood cells in order to test their possible use as antioxidant drugs by virtue of their labile character. ESR spectroscopy was used to verify whether encapsulation in red blood cells leads to the modification of such complexes. With copper(II) complexes bound to dipeptides or tripeptides, an interaction with hemoglobin was found to be present, the hemoglobin having a strong coordinative site formed by four nitrogen donor atoms. Instead, with copper(II) complexes with TAD or PheANN3, which have the greatest stability. ESR spectra always showed the original species. Only the copper(II) complex with GHL gave rise to a complicated behavior, which contained signals from iron(III) species probably coming from oxidative processes. Encapsulation of all copper(II) complexes in erythrocytes caused a slight oxidative stress, compared to the unloaded and to the native cells. However, no significant differences were observed in the major metabolic properties (GSH, glycolytic rate, hexose monophosphate shunt, Ca(2+)-ATPase) of erythrocytes loaded with different copper(II) complexes, with the exception of methemoglobin levels, which were markedly increased in the case of [Cu(GHL)H-1] compared to [Cu(TAD)]. This latter finding suggests that methemoglobin formation can be affected by the type of complex used for encapsulation, depending on the direct interaction of the copper(II) complex with hemoglobin.

Inorganic stressors of ubiquitin.

Many neurodegenerative proteinopathies are characterized by ubiquitin (Ub)-containing intraneuronal inclusion bodies. Recent reports have shown that Ub is able to bind Cu(II) and Zn(II), the dyshomeostasis of which is a hallmark of neurodegeneration. Here we use complementary techniques like potentiometry, circular dichroism-visible, and electron spin resonance to unveil the Ub/metal species that form, at neutral pH, their binding constants and structural features. Next, we show that both Zn(II) and Cu(II) ions hinder the interactions between Ub and Ub-conjugating E2 enzymes and inhibit significantly both Lys48 and Lys63 self-polyubiquitination reactions in a cell-free medium. The effects of Zn(II) and Cu(II) on Lys63 and Lys48 polyUb chain synthesis are compatible with the hypothesis that metal binding to His68 modifies the Ile44 hydrophobic patch of Ub and makes the protein less available for polyUb. These findings contribute to further arguments for a close relationship between metal dyshomeostasis and abnormal protein degradative pathways in the upstream events, triggering neurodegeneration.

Studies of nitric oxide interaction with mono- and dinuclear copper(II) complexes of prion protein bis-octarepeat fragments.

The interaction of nitric oxide with copper(ii) complexes of two octarepeat sequences belonging to the prion protein was studied, considering both mononuclear and dinuclear systems, i.e. Cu-Ac-(PHGGGWGQ)(2)-NH(2) and Cu(2)-Ac-(PHGGGWGQ)(2)-NH(2), respectively. The NO interaction with both systems was followed in aqueous solutions at physiological pH value, by using UV-Vis and EPR spectroscopic techniques as well as cyclic voltammetry. The mechanism of NO interaction with the mononuclear copper complex can be considered similar to that previously observed for the analogous copper systems with Ac-HGGG-NH(2) and Ac-PHGGGWGQ-NH(2). A more complicated behaviour was found with the copper dinuclear system, in which the involvement of two different intermediate complex species was evidenced. A positive cooperativity between the two copper ions, in the reduction process was inferred. When working with a large excess of the Ac-(PHGGGWGQ)(2)-NH(2) ligand, the frozen-solution EPR parameters pertain to the well characterized [Cu(N(im))(4)](2+) unit, which did not exhibit any interaction with NO. The presence of a free coordination site is the necessary requirement for the NO interaction to occur, as found only in the square-pyramidal geometry of [Cu(L)H(-2)] or [Cu(2)(L)H(-4)] complex species, which form when copper and ligand concentrations are similar.

Copper complex species within a fragment of the N-terminal repeat region in opossum PrP protein

A spectroscopic (UV-Vis, CD and EPR), thermodynamic and voltammetric study of the copper(ii) complexes with the Ac-PHPGGSNWGQ-NH(2) polypeptide (L), a fragment of the opossum PrP protein N-terminal four-repeat region, was carried out in aqueous solution. It suggests the formation of a highly distorted [Cu(L)H(-2)] complex species in the neutral region, the stereochemistry of which is ascribable to a square base pyramid and a CuN(3)O(2) chromophore, resulting from the coordination of a histidine imidazole and two peptide nitrogen atoms and probably oxygen atoms from water molecules. At basic pH values a [Cu(L)H(-3)](-) species with a pseudo-octahedral geometry was also obtained, with four nitrogen donor atoms in its equatorial plane, coming from the histidine residue and from peptidic nitrogen atoms. Interestingly, at pH values relatively higher than the neutrality, the coordination sphere of the copper complex in the [Cu(L)H(-2)] species changes its stereochemistry towards a pseudo-octahedron, as suggested by the change in the parallel copper hyperfine coupling constant of the EPR spectra at low temperature. A slight difference in the redox potentials between this two-faced [Cu(L)H(-2)] complex species seems to confirm this behaviour. Both potentiometric and spectroscopic data were compared with the analogous species obtained with the Ac-PHGGGWGQ-NH(2) peptide, belonging to the octarepeat domain of the human prion protein (hPrP) N-terminal region. The [Cu(L)H(-2)] species formed by the Ac-PHPGGSNWGQ-NH(2) decapeptide, having a slightly lower stability, turned out to be less abundant and to exist within a narrow pH range.

Influence of the coordination geometry on the physicochemical properties of a copper(II) complex with a tailor-made calixarene-based ligand bearing dipyridyl pendants. An ESR, UV-Vis and CV study

Dipyridyl pendants, suitably attached onto a calix[4]arene fixed in its 1,3-alternate conformation, form stable complexes with copper(ii) in acetonitrile. Both the mononuclear and the homobinuclear species ([Cu(1)](2+) and [Cu(2)(1)](4+)), previously detected through a UV-Vis investigation, have been studied by ESR, UV-Vis and cyclic voltammetry. ESR and UV-Vis data clearly indicate that in the [Cu(1)](2+) species the nitrogen atoms of dipyridyl pendants are tetrahedrally arranged around copper(II). Computer models, optimised through molecular mechanics methods, further support these spectroscopic findings. The tetrahedral arrangement, achieved thanks to the anchoring of the dipyridyl moieties onto the calixarene platform, accounts for the easy reversible reduction of this species. The aspects associated with the reduction-oxidation of the homobinuclear species are also discussed.