Nikolay Gerasimchuk

REDOX CYCLING BY MOTEXAFIN GADOLINIUM ENHANCES CELLULAR RESPONSE TO IONIZING RADIATION BY FORMING REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES

PURPOSE To examine the mechanism of radiation enhancement by motexafin gadolinium (Gd-Tex) in vitro. METHODS AND MATERIALS Oxidation of ascorbate and NADPH by Gd-Tex was evaluated in a neutral buffer. Growth inhibition of human uterine cancer cell line MES-SA was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) dye. Clonogenic assays were used to measure radiation response in MES-SA, A549 human lung carcinoma, E89, a CHO cell line variant deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and murine lymphoma cell lines LYAR and LYAS. RESULTS Gd-Tex catalyzed the oxidation of NADPH and ascorbate under aerobic conditions, forming hydrogen peroxide. Decreased viability was observed in MES-SA cells incubated with Gd-Tex in media containing NADPH or ascorbate. Gd-Tex and ascorbate increased fluorescence in dichlorofluorescin acetate-treated cultures. Synergistic effects on the aerobic radiation response in MES-SA and A549 were seen using Gd-Tex in combination with L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO). Incubation with Gd-Tex in the presence of ascorbate increased the aerobic radiation response of E89 and the apoptosis-sensitive B-cell line (LYAS). CONCLUSIONS Gd-Tex sensitizes cells to ionizing radiation by increasing oxidative stress as a consequence of futile redox cycling. Optimization of the concentration of ascorbate (or other reducing species) may be required when evaluating Gd-Tex activity in vitro.

Half-sandwich ruthenium–arene complexes with thiosemicarbazones: Synthesis and biological evaluation of [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(piperonal thiosemicarbazones)Cl]Cl complexes

The synthesis and characterization of a number of organometallic ruthenium(II) complexes containing a series of bidentate thiosemicarbazone ligands derived from piperonal is reported. The structure of compounds have been confirmed by spectroscopic analysis (IR and NMR) as well as X-ray crystallographic analysis of [(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(pPhTSC)Cl]Cl (4) (pPhTSC is piperonal-N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone). The interaction of the complexes ([(η⁶-p-cymene)Ru(pEtTSC)Cl]Cl) (3) (pEtTSC is piperonal-N(4)-ethylthiosemicarbazone) and 4 with calf thymus DNA, human serum albumin (HSA) and pBR322 plasmid DNA were studied by spectroscopic, gel electrophoresis and hydrodynamic methods. The apparent binding constant for the interaction with DNA was determined to be 3.97×10³ M⁻¹ and 4.07×10³ M⁻¹ at 293 K for 3 and 4 respectively. The complexes bind strongly to HSA with binding constants of 2.94×10⁴ M⁻¹ and 12.2×10⁴ M⁻¹ at 296 K for 3 and 4 respectively. The in vitro anticancer activity of 3 and 4 has been evaluated against two human colon cancer cell line (HCT-116 and Caco-2) with IC50 values in the range of 26–150 μM. Both 3 and 4 show good activity as a catalytic inhibitor of human topoisomerase II at concentrations as low as 20 μM. The proficiency of 3 and 4 to act as antibacterial agents was also evaluated against six pathogenic bacterial strains with the best activity seen against Gram-positive strains.

Synthesis and characterization of two intensely colored tris(benzoylcyanoxime)iron(II) anionic complexes.

Two intensely blue-colored complexes, P(C 6H 5) 4[Fe(BCO) 3] ( 1) and Na[Fe(BCO) 3] ( 2), where BCO (-) is the benzoylcyanoxime anion, have been prepared and characterized in solution and in the solid state. The crystal structure of 1 has been determined at several temperatures (100, 155, 225, and 293 K) and consists of layers of P(C 6H 5) 4 (+) cations and [Fe(BCO) 3] (-) anions. The latter exist as a pair of fac-Delta and Lambda enantiomers in a monoclinic unit cell in the P2(1)/ n space group. Iron(II) has a trigonal-prismatic N 3O 3 coordination environment with average Fe-N and Fe-O bond distances of 1.866 and 1.956 A, respectively, bonds that are unusually short and indicate a (1)A 1g low-spin ground state for iron(II). A sample of 1 prepared with iron-57 has been studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy between 4.2 and 430 K and found to be low-spin iron(II) in studied temperature range. The stepwise formation constants for 1 in aqueous solution at 296 K and pH of 7 are log beta 1 = 0.85 +/- 0.1, log beta 2 = 3.55 +/- 0.15, and log beta 3 = 6.36 +/- 0.15. Both 1 and 2 exhibit irreversible oxidation of iron(II) at approximately 1.0 V, indicating a significant degree of the ligand-to-iron charge transfer. Thus, 1 and 2 are rare examples of highly colored iron(II) anionic complexes that do not contain aromatic heterocyclic amine ligands, such as bipyridine or phenanthroline.

Synthesis and structure of [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(2-anthracen-9-ylmethylene-N-ethylhydrazinecarbothioamide)Cl]Cl; biological evaluation, topoisomerase II inhibition and reaction with DNA and human serum albumin

We have synthesized and evaluated the biological properties of a compound of the type [η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(EtATSC)Cl]Cl (1) where EtATSC = 2-anthracen-9-ylmethylene-N-ethylhydrazinecarbothioamide, a thiosemicarbazone. The complex has been characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopically (NMR, UV-Vis, and IR) and structurally by XRD. The in vitro anticancer activity of 1 has been evaluated against two human colon cancer cell lines. The IC(50) value for activity against HCT-116 was 224 ± 7 μM and 205 ± 5 μM against the Caco-2 cell line. The proficiency of 1 as an antibacterial agent was also evaluated against six bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration for Bacillus cereus was determined to be 5 μM and for Enterococcus faecalis it was 20 μM. At the maximum concentration tested the complex showed no activity against the Gram-negative strains. The complex binds strongly to human serum albumin with a binding constant of 1.37 ± 0.02 M(-1) at 308 K on a single binding site. It is also a strong binder to DNA with an apparent binding constant of 2.82 × 10(5) M(-1) at 308 K. 1 shows very good activity as a catalytic inhibitor of human topoisomerase II at concentrations as low as 20 μM.

Monovalent K, Cs, Tl, and Ag nitrosodicyanomethanides: completely different 3D networks with useful properties of luminescent materials and nonelectric sensors for gases.

Four K, Cs, Ag(I), and Tl(I) compounds with a nitrosodicyanomethanide ONC(CN)(2)(-) anion have been obtained and characterized using IR spectroscopy; UV-visible spectroscopy; room temperature, solid-state photoluminescence; and solutions electrical conductivity measurements. Cesium and thallium(I) complexes were obtained for the first time, and crystal structures were determined for Cs{ONC(CN)(2)}, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)}, and Tl{ONC(CN)(2)}. These structures indicate the formation of completely different 3D polymeric networks in which the anion acts as a bridging ligand of different capacity. The cyanoxime ligand in all complexes studied is in the nitroso form and adopts a planar configuration. The structure of the cesium salt is ionic. The structure of Ag{ONC(CN)(2)} represents a 3D coordination polymer where the anion acts as a tetradentate ligand with all four bonds between Ag(I) and donor atoms (three N and one O) significantly shorter than the sum of the ionic radii for these elements. The silver(I) atom in this compound has a distorted tetrahedral surrounding. Additionally, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)} is remarkably UV- and visible-light-insensitive. However, after exposure of the solid complex to gases such as H(2), CO, NO, C(2)H(2), and C(2)H(4), the surface of the compound becomes visible-light-sensitive and changes color with significant darkening, which indicates reduction of the metal. This is reflected in a dramatic decrease of intensity of the photoluminescence of Ag[ONC(CN)(2)] in the presence of these gases, which might be utilized for nonelectric sensor applications. The Tl[ONC(CN)(2)] complex represents a transitional species between ionic (Cs) and covalent (Ag) compounds. The thallium(I) center has four shorter bonds than the sum of the ionic radii bonds (three with N and one with O atoms) and three longer electrostatic (ionic) contacts with the anion. The 6s(2) lone pair is stereoactive, and the coordination polyhedron is best described as a distorted square pyramid. Room temperature diffusion reflectance spectra of solid K{ONC(CN)(2)}, Ag{ONC(CN)(2)}, and Tl{ONC(CN)(2)} demonstrated a bathochromic shift of the bands lambda(max) depending on the atomic number of the metal center, indicating a significant role of metal centers in electronic transitions in these compounds. This phenomenon was observed for the first time. The latter complex at 293 K exhibited structured metal-based red photoluminescence in the range of 690-800 nm that depends on the excitation wavelengths.

Reversible Cu4 ↔ Cu6 Core Interconversion and Temperature Induced Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Phase Transition for Copper(I) Carboxylate

The first example of a reversible [Cu(4)] <--> [Cu(6)] interconversion for polynuclear copper(I) complexes under controlled experimental settings is reported. It illustrates the key role of specific crystal growth conditions for accessing the target cluster nuclearity that consequently determines physical properties of the resulting solid state products. Thus, when copper(I) benzoate crystallizes from a 1,2-dichlorobenzene solution at room temperature, it forms [Cu(4)]-core based crystalline material, [Cu(4)(O(2)CC(6)H(5))(4)] (1). In contrast, crystal growth by deposition from the gas phase at elevated temperatures results in the exclusive formation of [Cu(6)(O(2)CC(6)H(5))(6)] (2). Complexes 1 and 2 have been isolated in pure form, fully characterized, and reversibly interconverted into each other. The effect of a core structure on the spectroscopic properties of 1 and 2, such as IR, Raman, and photoluminescence, has been investigated. Additionally, a combination of X-ray powder and single crystal diffraction methods has been used to discover the temperature induced phase transition in the hexanuclear copper(I) system. Two modifications of 2 exhibiting slightly different solid state packing of the [Cu(6)(O(2)CC(6)H(5))(6)] units have been identified at room and low temperature. Moreover, reversible single-crystal-to-single-crystal transitions between these polymorphic forms have been confirmed. The important role of weak intermolecular interactions between polynuclear copper(I) units in the solid state has also been revealed and discussed.

Demetallation of a Ni(II) tetraazamacrocyclic complex by cyanoxime resulting in the formation of a stereospecific trinuclear compound [Na(H2O)6]+[NaNi2L6]− (L = NC-C(NO)-C(O)NH )

The reaction between the NiA(ClO4)2 and NaHL2 {where A = 14ane[N4], the macrocyclic ligands derived from the product of template condensation of 2,6-diacetylpyridine with aliphatic 3,3′-diaminodipropylamine, NH2(CH2)3NH(CH2)3NH2; and L = 2-cyano-2-isonitrosoacetamide anion, ACO− (amidecyanoxime, NC-C(NO)-C(O) )} has led to the formation of a highly unusual trimetallic bis-[ fac-(triscyanoximato) nickel(II)] anionic complex anion instead of the expected Ni(II) macrocyclic complex with coordinated cyanoxime ligands. Two equivalent and symmetric trigonal-prismatic NiL units are connected to form the [NaNi2L6]− anion by the presence of a central sodium cation. The latter is located between two NiL anions and has an octahedral NaO6 geometry comprised of oxygen atoms of the nitroso group of the cyanoxime ligand. The oxime ligand is planar and adopts a cis-anti configuration in the complex.

Motexafin gadolinium reacts with ascorbate to produce reactive oxygen species

Motexafin gadolinium (MGd) oxidizes ascorbate, in neutral buffer and in cell culture, forming reactive oxygen species and a coordination polymer with oxalate.

Design and Synthesis of C2-Symmetric N-Heterocyclic Carbene Precursors and Metal Carbenoids

Chiral, C(2)-symmetric imidazolium and imidazolinium ions, as well as the corresponding copper- or silver-bound carbenoids, have been prepared. Structural study of these compounds by X-ray crystallography reveals a chiral pocket that surrounds the putative carbene site or the metal-carbene bond, at carbon 2, in three of the four ligands prepared. Preliminary investigation into the application of these complexes has shown one of them to be highly enantioselective in the hydrosilylation of acetophenone.

Synthesis of texaphyrin conjugates

This paper summarizes recent synthetic efforts devoted to the generation of new, second-generation texaphyrin-type drugs, specifically species that involve known or potential anticancer agents covalently attached to a tumor-localizing texaphyrin core. Particular emphasis will be placed on the strategies needed to prepare such systems, as well as on the choice of active group being subject to attachment.