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Arsenoplatin-1 (AP-1) is an innovative dual-action anticancer agent that contains a platinum(ii) center coordinated to an arsenous acid moiety. We found that AP-1 spontaneously aggregates in aqueous solutions generating oligomeric species of increasing length. Afterward, we succeeded in solving the crystal structure of the adduct formed between the model protein lysozyme and an early AP-1 oligomer that turned out to be a trimer. Remarkably, this crystal structure traps an early stage of AP-1 aggregation offering detailed insight into the molecular process of the oligomer's growth.

Four-way junctions (4WJs) are supramolecular DNA assemblies comprising four interacting DNA strands that in biology are involved in DNA-damage repair. In this study, a new mononuclear platinum(II) complex 1 was prepared that is capable of driving the crystallization of the DNA oligomer 5'-d(CGTACG)-3' specifically into a 4WJ-like motif. In the crystal structure of the 1-CGTACG adduct, the distorted-square-planar platinum complex binds to the core of the 4WJ-like motif through π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding, without forming any platinum-nitrogen coordination bonds. Our observations suggest that the specific molecular properties of the metal complex are crucially responsible for triggering the selective assembly of this peculiar DNA superstructure., (© 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.)

A series of palladium(II) (1-3) and platinum(II) chloride complexes (4 and 5) with 2,2':6',2″-terpyridine (terpy) derivatives substituted at the 4' position, was synthesized and fully characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of complexes 2, 3 and 5 showed tridentate coordination of the 4'-substituted terpyridine (terpy) ligands to the metal center. Moreover, in vitro cytotoxic activity of these complexes toward a panel of human cancer cell lines (lung cancer A549, colorectal cancer HCT116, ovarian cancer IGROV-1) and toward normal cell line HDF (dermal fibroblast) was determined by Trypan Blue exclusion assay. Overall, the tested compounds manifested a relevant cytotoxicity for the selected cancer cell lines with complex 4 also showing a modest cytotoxicity on the normal cell lines. To better understand the mode of action of these metal complexes, their reactivity with three model proteins, i.e. hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), cytochrome c (cyt c) and ribonuclease A (RNase A) were comparatively investigated through ESI-MS analysis. The results highlighted a different behavior between the two series of complexes being platinum compounds more reactive toward RNase and cyt c than palladium compounds. Based on the obtained results, it is proposed that in presence of RNase A and cyt c, the platinum complexes undergo activation through release of labile ligands followed by binding to the protein. In contrast, palladium complexes revealed a far lower reactivity implying the likely occurrence of a different mechanism of action.

Stable five-coordinate Pt(II) complexes have been highlighted as a promising and original platform for the development of new cytotoxic drugs. Their interaction with proteins has been scarcely studied. Here, the reactivity of the five-coordinate Pt(II) compound [Pt(I)(Me) (dmphen)(olefin)] (Me = methyl, dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, olefin = dimethylfumarate) with the model proteins hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) and bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A) has been investigated by X-ray crystallography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The X-ray structures of the adducts of RNase A and HEWL with [Pt(I)(Me)(dmphen)(olefin)] are not of very high quality, but overall data indicate that, upon reaction with RNase A, the compound coordinates the side chain of His105 upon releasing the iodide ligand, but retains the pentacoordination. On the contrary, upon reaction with HEWL, the trigonal bi-pyramidal Pt geometry is lost, the iodide and the olefin ligands are released, and the metal center coordinates the side chain of His15 probably adopting a nearly square-planar geometry. This work underlines the importance of the combined use of crystallographic and mass spectrometry techniques to characterize, in detail, the protein⁻metallodrug recognition process. Our findings also suggest that five-coordinate Pt(II) complexes can act either retaining their uncommon structure or functioning as prodrugs, i.e., releasing square-planar platinum complexes as bioactive species.

An antiproliferative platinum(ii)-terpyridine complex bearing two piperidine substituents at positions 2 and 2' (compound 1, hereafter) interacts non-covalently with DNA and induces cell death through necrosis, i.e. a mode of action that is distinct from that exhibited by cisplatin (Suntharalingam, et al., Metallomics, 2013, 5, 514). Here, the interaction between this Pt compound and the model protein hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) was studied by both electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) and X-ray crystallography. The ESI MS data collected after 24 h protein incubation with compound 1 at two different pH values offer evidence that the metal complex degrades upon reaction with HEWL, forming adducts with 1 : 1, 2 : 1 and 3 : 1 Pt/protein ratios. Two different X-ray structures of Pt-protein adducts, obtained by the reaction of HEWL with the Pt compound under different experimental conditions and incubation times, are then reported. An unexpected extensive platination of the protein is clearly observed: Pt containing fragments bind close to the NZ atom of Lys1 and OE1 atom of Glu7, NE2 atom of His15 and NH1 atom of Arg14, ND1 atom of His15, NZ atom of Lys96, NZ atom of Lys97 and ND1 atom of Asn93, NZ atom of Lys13 and the C-terminal carboxylate, and the N-terminal amine. An additional binding site was observed close to the NZ atom of Lys33. These results suggest that both N- and C-terminal tails, as well as Lys side chains, have to be considered as potential binding sites of Pt-containing drugs. The peculiar reactivity of compound 1 with biological macromolecules could play a role in its mode of action.

The triplatinum complex of the 2,4,6-Tris(2-pyrimidyl)-1,3,5-triazine ligand, Pt 3 TPymT hereafter, has been prepared and characterized for the first time. NMR studies point out that the three platinum(II) centers possess an identical coordination environment. The interactions of Pt 3 TPymT with DNA were explored in comparison to the free ligand. Specifically, fluorescence, mass spectrometry, viscometry and melting measurements were carried out. In contrast to expectations, the obtained data reveal that no intercalative binding takes place; we propose that binding of Pt 3 TPymT to DNA mainly occurs through external/groove binding., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The tetranuclear Pt complex (PtL) 4 (where L 2- is the anion derived from para-isopropyl thiosemicarbazone) was first described in A.G. Quiroga et al., J. Med. Chem. 41, 1998, 1399-1408. (PtL) 4 manifests antiproliferative properties toward various cancer cell lines being a promising anticancer drug candidate. Yet, details of its reactivity with biomolecules have not been elucidated. To this end, we investigated the reactions of (PtL) 4 with a few model proteins, i.e. bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A), cytochrome c (Cyt c) and hen egg white lysozyme (Lysozyme), through electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and other biophysical methods. A rich reactivity of (PtL) 4 with the above-mentioned model proteins is observed, leading to the formation of numerous metallodrug-protein adducts. The tetranuclear complex breaks down and various fragments bind proteins up to high metal/protein ratios; this typically results into very complicated mass spectral patterns. However, some of the main mass peaks could be assigned in the case of the Lysozyme adduct. In addition, crystallographic data were obtained for the (PtL) 4 /Lysozyme and (PtL) 4 /RNase A adducts pointing at His side chains as the primary binding sites for monometallic Pt fragments. Notably, a few selected features of the interactions observed in the (PtL) 4 /protein adducts were reproduced by reacting (PtL) 4 with a small molecule, i.e. N-methylimidazole. In conclusion, the present study confirms the prodrug nature of the tetraplatinum complex, clarifies one possible pathway for its activation through cluster disassembly and allows initial identification of adducts formed with a representative protein., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the search for novel platinum-based anticancer therapeutic agents, we have recently established a structural motif of (O,S) bidentate ligands bound to a Pt(II) metal center which is effective against various cancer cell lines. Aiming at further enhancing the cytotoxicity of metal-based drugs, the identification of potential biological targets and elucidation of the mode of action of selected lead compounds is of utmost importance. Here we report our studies on the DNA interaction of three representative Pt(II) complexes of the investigated series, using various model systems and analytical techniques. In detail, CD spectroscopy as well as ESI-MS and MS(2) techniques were applied to gain an overall picture of the binding properties of this class of (O,S) bidentate Pt(II) compounds with defined oligonucleotide sequences in single strand, duplex or G-quadruplex form, as well as with the nucleobase 9-methylguanine. On the whole, it was demonstrated that the tested compounds interact with DNA and produce conformational changes of different extents depending on the sequence and structure of the examined oligonucleotide. Guanine was established as the preferential target within the DNA sequence, but in the absence or unavailability of guanines, alternative binding sites can be addressed. The implications of these results are thoroughly discussed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Contrary to what was believed for many years, cis-PtI2(NH3)2, the diiodido analogue of cisplatin, displays high in vitro antiproliferative activity toward a set of tumour cell lines, overcoming resistance to cisplatin in a platinum-resistant cancer cell line. In the context of a general reappraisal of iodinated Pt(ii) derivatives, aiming at a more systematic evaluation of their chemical and biological profiles, here we report on the reactivity of cis-PtI2(NH3)2 with selected DNA model systems, in single, double strand or G-quadruplex form, using cisplatin as a control. A combined approach has been exploited in this study, including circular dichroism (CD), UV-visible spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) analyses. The data reveal that cis-PtI2(NH3)2 shows an overall reactivity towards the investigated oligonucleotides significantly higher than cisplatin.

The reactivity of cis-diamminediiodidoplatinum(II), cis-PtI2(NH3)2, the iodo analogue of cisplatin, with hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) was investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. Interestingly, the study compound forms a stable 1:1 protein adduct for which the crystal structure was solved at 1.99 Å resolution. In this adduct, the Pt(II) center, upon release of one ammonia ligand, selectively coordinates to the imidazole of His15. Both iodide ligands remain bound to platinum, with this being a highly peculiar and unexpected feature. Notably, two equivalent modes of Pt(II) binding are possible that differ only in the location of I atoms with respect to ND1 of His15. The structure of the adduct was compared with that of HEWL-cisplatin, previously described; differences are stressed and their important mechanistic implications discussed.