Mario Inclán

Modulation of DNA binding by reversible metal-controlled molecular reorganizations of scorpiand-like ligands.

DNA interaction with scorpiand azamacrocycles has been achieved through modulation of their binding affinities. Studies performed with different experimental techniques provided evidence that pH or metal-driven molecular reorganizations of these ligands regulate their ability to interact with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) through an intercalative mode. Interestingly enough, metal-driven molecular reorganizations serve to increase or decrease the biological activities of these compounds significantly.

Synthetic single and double aza-scorpiand macrocycles acting as inhibitors of the antioxidant enzymes iron superoxide dismutase and trypanothione reductase in Trypanosoma cruzi with promising results in a murine model

The anti-chagasic activity of a series of eleven derivatives of aza-scorpiand-like macrocycles, some of them newly synthesised, was assayed. The four compounds with the best selectivity indices in vitro were subjected to in vivo assays. Tests in a murine model of the acute phase of Chagas disease showed a two-fold reduction in parasitaemia compared to that with benznidazole. Furthermore, compounds 7 and 11, with 4-pyridine and phenanthroline substituents in the lateral chain, caused a remarkable decrease in parasitaemia reactivation during the chronic phase after inducing immunosuppression in mice. These activity studies were complemented by measuring their inhibitory effect towards the antioxidant parasite-specific enzymes, iron superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD) and trypanothione reductase, the metabolites excreted after treatment and ultrastructural alterations. The ability of the selected macrocycles to complex with Fe(II) and Fe(III) was studied using potentiometric methods. Detailed molecular dynamics studies provided interesting pointers about the way in which the compounds approach and modify the active centre of Fe-SOD. The activity, low toxicity, stability, low cost of the starting materials and straightforward synthesis make these compounds appropriate molecules for the development of affordable anti-chagasic agents.

Solution and solid state studies with the bis-oxalato building block [Cr(pyim)(C2O4)2]− [pyim = 2-(2′-pyridyl)imidazole]

The preparation, X-ray structure, and variable temperature magnetic study of the new compound {Ba(H2O)3/2[Cr(pyim)(C2O4)2]2}n·9/2nH2O (1) [pyim = 2-(2′-pyridyl)imidazole and C2O42− = dianion of oxalic acid], together with the potentiometric and spectrophotometric studies of the protonation/deprotonation equilibria of the pyim ligand and the ternary complex [Cr(pyim)(C2O4)2]−, are reported herein. The crystal structure of 1 consists of neutral chains, with diamond-shaped units sharing barium(II), with the two other corners occupied by chromium(III). The two metal centers are connected through bis(bidentate) oxalate. Very weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the chromium(III) ions occur in 1. The values of the protonation constants of the imidazole and pyridyl fragments of pyim as well as the acidity constant of the coordinated pyim in [Cr(pyim)(C2O4)2]− are determined for the first time by potentiometry and UV–Vis spectroscopy in aqueous solution (25 °C and 0.15 M NaNO3 as ionic strength).

In vitro antileishmanial activity of aza-scorpiand macrocycles. Inhibition of the antioxidant enzyme iron superoxide dismutase

The in vitro leishmanicidal activity of a series of nine aza-scorpiand-like macrocycles, recently synthesized, was tested on Leishmania infantum, Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania donovani parasites, using promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes forms. The cytotoxicity of the tested compounds on J774.2 macrophage cells was also measured. Four of the tested compounds (1, 2, 8 and 9) showed selectivity indexes higher than those of the reference drug Glucantime for the three Leishmania species. Moreover, the data on infection rates and on amastigotes showed that compounds 1, 2, 8 and 9 are the most active against the three Leishmania species. The changes in the excretion product profile of parasites treated with the four compounds (1, 2, 8 and 9) were also consistent with substantial cytoplasmic alterations. On the other hand, the most active compounds were potent inhibitors of Fe-SOD in the three parasite species considered, whereas their impact on human CuZn-SOD was low. The high activity, low toxicity, stability, low cost of the starting materials and straightforward synthesis make these compounds appropriate molecules for the development of affordable anti-leishmanicidal agents.

Efficient two-step synthesis of water soluble BODIPY–TREN chemosensors for copper(II) ions

Two simple fluorescent sensors for Cu(II) ions were synthesized in two reaction steps, using recently developed C–H functionalization reactions for boron dipyrrins, starting from a standard 8-aryl-BODIPY dye and a tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) ligand. At pH 5, the resulting BODIPY–TREN conjugates are demonstrated to be promising, highly selective, water soluble, Cu(II) sensors that can permeate the cell membrane.

MWCNTs-Supported Pd(II) Complexes with High Catalytic Efficiency in Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Media

We report here the remarkable catalytic efficiency observed for two Pd(II) azamacrocyclic complexes supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) toward oxygen reduction reactions. Beyond a main (>90%) 4e- process and an onset potential close to or better than those of commercial Pt electrodes, the MWCNTs functionalization strategy, aimed at chemically defined Pd(II)-based catalytic centers, allowed the half-cell to exceed the proton-exchange-membrane fuel-cell reference/target mass activity efficiency set by the U.S. Department of Energy for 2020 (440 mA/mgPGM at 0.9 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode).

Aza-Macrocyclic Triphenylamine Ligands for G-Quadruplex Recognition

A new series of triphenylamine-based ligands with one (TPA1PY), two (TPA2PY) or three pendant aza-macrocycle(s) (TPA3PY) has been synthesised and studied by means of pH-metric titrations, UV/Vis spectroscopy and fluorescence experiments. The affinity of these ligands for G-quadruplex (G4) DNA and the selectivity they show for G4s over duplex DNA were investigated by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting assays, fluorimetric titrations and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Interestingly, the interactions of the bi- and especially the tri-branched ligands with G4s lead to a very intense redshifted fluorescence emission band that may be associated with intermolecular aggregation between the molecule and DNA. This light-up effect allows the application of the ligands as fluorescence probes to selectively detect G4s.

Binding Mode and Selectivity of a Scorpiand‐like Polyamine Ligand to Single and Double‐Stranded DNA and RNA. Metal‐ and pH‐driven Modulation

The interaction of a polyazacyclophane ligand having an ethylamine pendant arm functionalized with an anthryl group (L), with the single-stranded polynucleotides polyA, polyG, polyU, and polyC as well as with the double-stranded polynucleotides polyA-polyU, poly(dAT)2 , and poly(dGC)2 has been followed by UV/Vis titration, steady state fluorescence spectroscopy, and thermal denaturation measurements. In the case of the single-stranded polynucleotides, the UV/Vis and fluorescence titrations permit to distinguish between sequences containing purine and pyrimidine bases. For the double-stranded polynucleotides the UV/Vis measurements show for all of them hypochromicity and bathochromic shifts. However, the fluorescence studies reveal that both polyA-polyU and poly(dAT)2 induce a twofold increase in the fluorescence, whereas interaction of poly(dGC)2 with the ligand L induces a quenching of the fluorescence. Cu2+ modulates the interaction with the double-stranded polynucleotides due to the conformation changes that its coordination induces in compound L. In general, the spectroscopic studies show that intercalation seems to be blocked by the formation of the metal complex. All these features suggest the possibility of using compound L as a sequence-selective fluorescence probe.