Haslina Ahmad

Kinetically locked luminescent metallomacrocycles as duplex DNA binding substrates

A self-assembled, kinetically locked, tetranuclear metallomacrocycle interacts with duplex DNA with an affinity that is several orders of magnitude higher than its mononuclear building blocks, producing large-scale bending of the duplex structure.

Synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of transition metal complexes derived from N, S bidentate ligands.

Two bidentate NS ligands were synthesized by the condensation reaction of S-2-methylbenzyldithiocarbazate (S2MBDTC) with 2-methoxybenzaldehyde (2MB) and 3-methoxybenzaldehyde (3MB). The ligands were reacted separately with acetates of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) yielding 1:2 (metal:ligand) complexes. The metal complexes formed were expected to have a general formula of [M(NS)2] where M = Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. These compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and various spectroscopic techniques. The magnetic susceptibility measurements and spectral results supported the predicted coordination geometry in which the Schiff bases behaved as bidentate NS donor ligands coordinating via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur. The molecular structures of the isomeric S2M2MBH (1) and S2M3MBH (2) were established by X-ray crystallography to have very similar l-shaped structures. The Schiff bases and their metal complexes were evaluated for their biological activities against estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines. Only the Cu(II) complexes showed marked cytotoxicity against the cancer cell lines. Both Schiff bases and other metal complexes were found to be inactive. In concordance with the cytotoxicity studies, the DNA binding studies indicated that Cu(II) complexes have a strong DNA binding affinity.

A ruthenium polypyridyl intercalator stalls DNA replication forks, radiosensitizes human cancer cells and is enhanced by Chk1 inhibition.

Ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes can intercalate DNA with high affinity and prevent cell proliferation; however, the direct impact of ruthenium-based intercalation on cellular DNA replication remains unknown. Here we show the multi-intercalator [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+ (dppz = dipyridophenazine, PIP = 2-(phenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) immediately stalls replication fork progression in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. In response to this replication blockade, the DNA damage response (DDR) cell signalling network is activated, with checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) activation indicating prolonged replication-associated DNA damage, and cell proliferation is inhibited by G1-S cell-cycle arrest. Co-incubation with a Chk1 inhibitor achieves synergistic apoptosis in cancer cells, with a significant increase in phospho(Ser139) histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) levels and foci indicating increased conversion of stalled replication forks to double-strand breaks (DSBs). Normal human epithelial cells remain unaffected by this concurrent treatment. Furthermore, pre-treatment of HeLa cells with [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+ before external beam ionising radiation results in a supra-additive decrease in cell survival accompanied by increased γ-H2AX expression, indicating the compound functions as a radiosensitizer. Together, these results indicate ruthenium-based intercalation can block replication fork progression and demonstrate how these DNA-binding agents may be combined with DDR inhibitors or ionising radiation to achieve more efficient cancer cell killing.

A Self‐Assembled Metallomacrocycle Singlet Oxygen Sensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy

Although metal-ion-directed self-assembly has been widely used to construct a vast number of macrocycles and cages, it is only recently that the biological properties of these systems have begun to be explored. However, up until now, none of these studies have involved intrinsically photoexcitable self-assembled structures. Herein we report the first metallomacrocycle that functions as an intracellular singlet oxygen sensitizer. Not only does this Ru2 Re2 system possess potent photocytotoxicity at light fluences below those used for current medically employed systems, it offers an entirely new paradigm for the construction of sensitizers for photodynamic therapy.

An Electrochemical Biosensor for the Determination of Ganoderma boninense Pathogen Based on a Novel Modified Gold Nanocomposite Film Electrode

A sensitive approach for the determination of Ganoderma boninense DNA is reported based on an electrochemical affinity system using a modified gold sensor. Covalent attachment of probe DNA was achieved by attachment of the amine group to a carboxylic acid group of a 3,3’-dithiodipropionic acid monolayer on a nanocomposite film of gold nanoparticles bound to poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophen)–poly(styrenesulfonate) on a gold working electrode. The electrochemical detection of sequence-specific DNA of probe and target DNA hybridization was monitored using a new ruthenium complex [Ru(dppz) 2 (qtpy)Cl 2 ; dppz = dipyrido [3,2–a:2’,3’-c] phenazine; qtpy = 2,2’,-4,4”.4’4”’-quarterpyridyl redox marker. The potential was selected through the study of the electrochemical behavior of trisaminomethane-hydrochloride containing a ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid supporting electrolyte on the bare and modified gold electrode. The effect of the hybridization temperature and time were measured. The sensor demonstrated specific detection for the target over a concentration range of 1.0 × 10− 15 M to 1.0 × 10− 9 M with a detection limit of 1.59 × 10− 17 M. Control experiments verified the specificity of the biosensor in the presence of a single mismatched DNA sequence. This detection technology was shown to be effective in terms of sensitivity and selectivity of hybridization events and is a promising device for early detection of Ganoderma boninense and other pathogenic threat agents.

Synthesis, structural characterization and thermal studies of lanthanide complexes with Schiff base ligand N,N′-di-(4′-pentyloxybenzoate)-salicylidene-1,3-diaminopropane

Abstract New mesogen Schiff base ligand N,N′-di-(4′-pentyloxybenzoate)salicylidene-1,3-diaminopropane [H2L] was synthesized by the reaction of substituted 4-pentyloxy(4′-formyl-3′-hydroxy)-benzoate and 1,3-diaminopropane in 2:1 molar ratio. Four mononuclear lanthanide complexes of the type [Ln(H2L)LCl] (Ln = LaIII, CeIII, SmIII and GdIII) were synthesized and characterized by 1H,13CNMR, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis (C.H.N.O), gas chromotography-mass, magnetic susceptibility and molar conductivity. Thermal properties of the title compounds were studied using the thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC) and optical polarizing microscopy (OPM). The ligand and coordination compounds exhibit liquid crystalline properties (smectic A).

Biophysical properties of DNA in hydrated ionic liquids

The biophysical properties and behavior of natural calf thymus DNA in hydrated 1-ethyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide ionic liquid ([C2bim]Br) have been studied using spectroscopy technique. The effect of ionic liquid concentration and temperature towards the duplex B-DNA conformation were determined. The presence of ionic liquid causes higher duplex DNA stability with the DNA melting temperature of ∼56°C without any addition of buffer solutions. The electrostatic attraction between ionic liquid’s cation and DNA phosphates groups was found play a main role in stabilizing native DNA structure. Understanding of the biophysical properties of DNA in this ionic media could be used as a platform for future development of specific solvent for nucleic acid nanotechnology.

Electrochemical DNA biosensor for detection of porcine oligonucleotides using ruthenium(II) complex as intercalator label redox

A DNA biosensor detection of oligonucleotides via the interactions of porcine DNA with redox active complex based on the electrochemical transduction is described. A ruthenium(II) complex, [Ru(bpy)2(PIP)]2+, (bpy = 2,2′bipyridine, PIP = 2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f[[1,10-phenanthroline]) as DNA label has been synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR and mass spectra. The study was carried out by covalent bonding immobilization of porcine aminated DNA probes sequences on screen printed electrode (SPE) modified with succinimide-acrylic microspheres and [Ru(bpy)2(PIP)]2+ was used as electrochemical redox intercalator label to detect DNA hybridization event. Electrochemical detection was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) over the potential range where the ruthenium (II) complex was active. The results indicate that the interaction of [Ru(bpy)2(PIP)]2+ with hybridization complementary DNA has higher response compared to single-stranded and mismatch complementary DNA.