Wojciech Szczepanik

Copper(II) binding by kanamycin A and hydrogen peroxide activation by resulting complexes

Protonation and copper(II) coordination properties of kanamycin A were studied in solution by potentiometry, UV-Vis, circular dichroism (CD), EPR and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Only mononuclear complexes of stoichiometries ranging from CuH2L to CuH−2L were found. Kanamycin A anchors Cu(II) ions with an {NH2, O−} chelate of the C-ring of its molecule. At pH higher than 6 the amino and hydroxyl groups of the A-ring of kanamycin A also participate in binding. The resulting structure, similar to that of complexes of other unsubstituted aminoglycosides studied previously, involves Cu(II) coordination by donors of terminal aminosugar rings, rather than those of the central unit. The results of cyclic voltammetry investigations, kinetic studies of H2O2 disproportionation and ROS detection experiments, further supported the mechanism of oxidative reactivity of cupric complexes of aminoglycosides, proposed by us recently [M. Jezowska-Bojczuk, W. Leśniak, W. Bal, H. Kozlowski, K. Gatner, A. Jezierski, J. Sobczak, S. Mangani and W. Meyer-Klaucke; Chem. Res. Toxicol., 2001, 14, 1353–1362], which involves Cu(I) and Cu(III) redox states and both metal-bound and free ROS.

Experimental and ab initio calculated structures of 2-aminoindane-2-phosphonic acid, a potent inhibitor of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and theoretical studies of its binding to the model enzyme structure

The structure of 2-aminoindane-2-phosphonic acid (AIP) was studied using X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, molecular modelling, IR spectroscopy, and potentiometric titration. In the solid state, a thermodynamically stable conformer of AIP is one in which the phosphonic group occupies the equatorial position and the amino group the axial position. The NMR data suggest that fast equilibrium in solution between the two conformers of AIP is significantly shifted toward the equatorial conformer (EC). Both solid state studies, that is X-ray analysis and IR spectroscopy of AIP, revealed the presence of hydrogen-bonded water. Ab initio calculations in the gas phase indicate only a small barrier between the two possible conformations of AIP. Binding studies of both conformers, in various protonation states, to the model of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase structure suggest that only the axial phosphonic group conformer is docked specifically. Indications from modelling are that phenylalanine ammonia-lyase binds AIPs conformer with higher specificity and that the molecular reorganisation required can be responsible for the experimentally observed time-dependent inhibition.

Oxidative Activity of Copper(II) Complexes withAminoglycoside Antibiotics as Implication to theToxicity of These Drugs

The majority of aminoglycosidic antibiotics anchor Cu(ll) ions by {NH2, O} chelates of the A and C rings of its molecule as distinct from amikacin, which belongs to the class of substituted ones. The results indicate that all these antibiotics effectively bind copper(ll) at physiological pH. Cyclic voltammetry investigations and kinetic studies of H2o2 disproportionation and hydroxyl radicals detection made it possible to support the mechanism of oxidative reactivity of cupric complexes of aminoglycosides, which involves Cu(1) and Cu(lll) redox states and metal-bound, rather than free radical species. The mechanism of this process appears to be complicated, and may have deleterious side-effects by leaking radical intermediates. The presence of these reactive oxygen species may be responsible for modulating the biological activity of these drugs. The interactions of copper(ll) complexes of aminoglycosides with oxidation-susceptible biomolecules: 2’-deoxyguanosine, plasmid DNA and yeast tRNAphe in both the presence and absence of hydrogen peroxide showed that the complexes with H2o2 are the most efficient oxidants, converting dG to its 8-oxo derivative, generating strand breaks in plasmid DNA and multiple cleavages in tRNAphe. Some of these reactions may play a role in aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity; moreover, they may suggest that Cu(ll)-aminoglycosides are potentially dangerous genotoxic agents. These complexes were also screened for their antibacterial activity and bioassays were engaged to find out the possibility of Cu(ll)-kanamycin A complexes to induce tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon (IFN) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in human peripheral blood leukocytes. The aim of these studies was to compare the biological action of antibiotic alone and complexed with copper(ll) ions in both neutral and oxidative environment.

Interaction of aminoglycosides and their copper(II) complexes with nucleic acids: implication to the toxicity of these drugs

Cupric complexes of eight aminoglycosidic antibiotics were screened for their specific behavior towards tRNAPhe, both in oxidative and neutral surrounding. Without H2O2, the cleavage efficiency was dependent on the resultant charge of the molecule. A comparative assay using tRNAPhe devoid of the natural hypermodification in the anticodon loop proved that hypermodification is indispensable for site recognition and subsequent cleavage. The intensity of single and double strand scissions in plasmid DNA also proceeded in a charge-dependent manner. Unlike free antibiotics, their cupric complexes in the presence of H2O2, facilitated plasmid linearisation and degradation. The participation of ROS in those processes was confirmed using NDMA as a reporter molecule, whose consumption was influenced by the protonation state of the complex.

High affinity of copper(II) towards amoxicillin, apramycin and ristomycin. Effect of these complexes on the catalytic activity of HDV ribozyme.

Three representatives of the distinct antibiotics groups: amoxicillin, apramycin and ristomycin A were studied regarding their impact on hepatitis D virus (HDV) ribozyme both in the metal-free form and complexed with copper(II) ions. Hence the Cu(II)-ristomycin A complex has been characterized by means of NMR, EPR, CD and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques and its binding pattern has been compared with the coordination modes estimated previously for Cu(II)-amoxicillin and Cu(II)-apramycin complexes. It has thus been found that all three antibiotics bind the Cu(II) ion in a very similar manner, engaging two nitrogen and two oxygen donors into coordination with the square planar symmetry in physiological conditions. All three tested antibiotics were able to inhibit the HDV ribozyme catalysis. However, in the presence of the complexes, the catalytic reactions were almost completely inhibited. It was important therefore to check whether the complexes used in lower concentrations could inhibit the HDV ribozyme catalytic activity, thus creating opportunities for their practical application. It turned out that the complexes used in the concentrations of 50μM influenced the catalysis much less effectively comparing to the 200 micromolar concentration. The kobs values were lower than those observed in the control reaction, in the absence of potential inhibitors: 2-fold for amoxicillin, ristomycin A and 3.3-fold for apramycin, respectively.

Capreomycin--a polypeptide antitubercular antibiotic with unusual binding properties toward copper(II).

Capreomycin is an important therapeutic agent having intriguing and diverse molecular features. Its polypeptidic structure rich in nitrogen donors makes the drug a promising chelating agent for a number of transition metal ions, especially for copper(II). The results of the model investigational studies suggest that capreomycin anchors Cu(2+) ion with an amino function of the α,β-diaminopropionic acid residue at pH around 5. At physiological pH copper(II) ion is coordinated by two deprotonated amide nitrogen atoms of the α,β-diaminopropionic acid, the serine residue as well as the amino function deriving from the β-lysine. Above that pH value we observe a rearrangement within the coordination sphere leading to movement of Cu(2+) to the center of the peptide ring with concurrent coordination of four nitrogen donors. Spin-lattice relaxation enhancements and potentiometric measurements clearly indicate that deprotonated amide nitrogen atom from the β-ureidodehydroalanine moiety is the fourth donor atom.

DNA Oxidative Cleavage Induced by the Novel Peptide Derivatives of 3-(quinoxalin-6-yl)alanine in Combination with Cu(II) or Fe(II) Ions

Three model dipeptides containing 3-(2,3-di(pyridin-2-yl)quinoxalin-6-yl)alanine, 3-(dipyrido[3,2-a:2,3-c]phenazin-11-yl)alanine, and 3-(2,3-diphenylquinoxalin-6-yl)alanine were studied with respect to their ability to bind selected transition metal ions, such as Cu(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Mn(II), and Cr(III). It was found that only Cu(II) and Fe(II) ions could form stable complex species with the studied compounds. The ability to form the complexes correlated well with DNA damage experiments. Only the ferrous and cupric complexes are capable of generating both single- and double-strand scissions. However, double-strand breakages appear to be dominating lesions in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, especially for copper(II) containing systems. The quantity of breakage products in the presence of N-(3-(dipyrido[3,2-a:2,3-c]phenazine-11-yl)alanyl)glycine complexes was the highest as compared to the complexes of the remaining compounds. Moreover, this ligand was the only one that cleaved DNA in the absence of either Cu(II) or Fe(II) ions.

The impact of isomers of hemiaminal-1,2,4-triazole conjugates differently substituted in the phenyl ring and their Cu2+ complexes on the catalytic activity of the antigenomic delta ribozyme.

The ability of four stable hemiaminals differently substituted in the phenyl ring and their complexes with Cu(2+) ions to inhibit catalytic cleavage of the antigenomic delta ribozyme was compared. The hemiaminals were novel chiral derivatives of 1,2,4-triazole [i.e. (2,4-dinitrophenyl)(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-ylamino) methanol (2,4-dnbald), (2-nitrophenyl)(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-ylamino) methanol (2-nbald), (3-nitrophenyl)(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-ylamino) methanol (3-nbald) and (4-nitrophenyl)(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-ylamino) methanol (4-nbald)]. The complexes of nbalds with Cu(2+) were characterized using UV and EPR methods and additionally, the formation of 2,4-dnbald-Cu(2+) complex with CuL(2) stoichiometry was confirmed by mass spectrometry. The data suggest that there are two ways in which nbalds and their Cu(2+) complexes can influence catalytic cleavage of antigenomic delta ribozyme. The coordinated Cu(2+) ions may play the role of new cationic ligands increasing the affinity of the complexes to the ribozyme. Such situation occurs in the case of 2- and 2,4-nbald. Their Cu(2+) complexes decrease ribozyme cleavage rates twice more efficiently than uncomplexed compounds. Moreover, the Cu(2+) complexes displace the catalytic divalent metal ions from their strong binding sites located in the ribozyme J4/2 region as shown by the Pb(2+)-induced cleavage approach. On the other hand, 3- and 4-nbald inhibit catalysis more strongly as compared to 2-nbald and 2,4-dnbald but the ribozyme cleavage rates are changed only slightly upon Cu(2+) complexation. The mechanism of ribozyme inhibition by interfering with the formation of a correct ribozyme tertiary structure seems to operate in this case.

Structural features and oxydative stress towards plasmid DNA of apramycin copper complex

The interaction of apramycin with copper at different pH values was investigated by potentiometric titrations and EPR, UV-vis and CD spectroscopic techniques. The Cu(II)-apramycin complex prevailing at pH 6.5 was further characterized by NMR spectroscopy. Metal-proton distances derived from paramagnetic relaxation enhancements were used as restraints in a conformational search procedure in order to define the structure of the complex. Longitudinal relaxation rates were measured with the IR-COSY pulse sequence, thus solving the problems due to signal overlap. At pH 6.5 apramycin binds copper(II) with a 2 : 1 stoichiometry, through the vicinal hydroxyl and deprotonated amino groups of ring III. Plasmid DNA electrophoresis showed that the Cu(II)-apramycin complex is more active than free Cu(II) in generating strand breakages. Interestingly, this complex in the presence of ascorbic acid damages DNA with a higher yield than in the presence of H(2)O(2).

Characterization of Copper(II) Interactions with Sinefungin, a Nucleoside Antibiotic: Combined Potentiometric, Spectroscopic and DFT Studies

Interactions between sinefungin and copper(II) ions were investigated. Stoichiometry and stability constants of the metal-free system and two mononuclear complexes present in solution were determined on the basis of potentiometric data analysis. The results were compared to the Cu(II)-ornithine system due to structural similarities between both molecules. Combined spectroscopic and theoretical studies allowed for determination of coordination pattern for the Cu(II)-sinefungin complexes. At acidic pH, copper is bound in “glycine-like” coordination mode, identical with that of ornithine. This involves α-amino group and the carboxyl oxygen. At higher pH, a “bis-complex” is formed by two sinefungin molecules. The second ligand binds in equatorial position displacing two water molecules, what results in the stable {2N,2O} coordination. Both axial positions are supposed to be occupied by N1 nitrogen donors of adenine moiety, what is confirmed by DFT calculations. They interact indirectly with copper(II) through water molecules as the result of dominant syn conformation of purine.