title: Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes and their modes of interaction with DNA: is there a correlation between these interactions and the antitumor activity of the compounds?
abstract: Various interaction modes between a group of six ruthenium polypyridyl complexes and DNA have been studied using a number of spectroscopic techniques. Five mononuclear species were selected with formula [Ru(tpy)L(1)L(2)]((2-n)+), and one closely related dinuclear cation of formula [{Ru(apy)(tpy)}(2){mu-H(2)N(CH(2))(6)NH(2)}](4+). The ligand tpy is 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine and the ligand L(1) is a bidentate ligand, namely, apy (2,2'-azobispyridine), 2-phenylazopyridine, or 2-phenylpyridinylmethylene amine. The ligand L(2) is a labile monodentate ligand, being Cl(-), H(2)O, or CH(3)CN. All six species containing a labile L(2) were found to be able to coordinate to the DNA model base 9-ethylguanine by (1)H NMR and mass spectrometry. The dinuclear cationic species, which has no positions available for coordination to a DNA base, was studied for comparison purposes. The interactions between a selection of four representative complexes and calf-thymus DNA were studied by circular and linear dichroism. To explore a possible relation between DNA-binding ability and toxicity, all compounds were screened for anticancer activity in a variety of cancer cell lines, showing in some cases an activity which is comparable to that of cisplatin. Comparison of the details of the compound structures, their DNA binding, and their toxicity allows the exploration of structure-activity relationships that might be used to guide optimization of the activity of agents of this class of compounds.
authors.affiliation: Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.forename: Anna C G
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hotze
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: den Dulk
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leczkowska
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodger
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reedijk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry*; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011725:Pyridines; D012428:Ruthenium; D004247:DNA; C427203:calf thymus DNA