The anticancer activity and HSA binding properties of the structurally related platinum (II) complexes.

The development of resistance and unwanted harmful interaction with other biomolecules instead of DNA are the major drawbacks for application of platinum (Pt) complexes in cancer chemotherapy. To conquer these problems, much works have been done so far to discover innovative Pt complexes. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the anti cancer activities of a series of four and five-coordinated Pt(II) complexes, having deprotonated 2-phenyl pyridine (abbreviated as C^N), biphosphine moieties, i.e., dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino) methane (Ph(2)PCH(2)PPh(2)) and dppa = bis(diphenylphosphino)amine (Ph(2)PNHPPh(2)), as the non-leaving carrier groups. The growth inhibitory effect of the Pt complexes [Pt(C^N)(dppm)]PF(6): C(1), [Pt(C^N)(dppa)]PF(6): C(2), and [Pt(C^N)I(dppa)]: C(3), toward the cancer cell lines was measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. In addition, the florescence quenching experiments of the interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and the Pt complexes were performed in order to obtain the binding parameters and to evaluate the denaturing properties of these complexes upon binding to the general carrier protein of blood stream. The structure-activity relationship studies reveal that four-coordinated Pt complexes C(1) and C(2) with both significant hydrophobic and charge characteristics, not only exhibit strong antiproliferation activity toward the cancer cell lines, but also they display lower denaturing effect against carrier protein HSA. On the other hand, five-coordinated C(3) complex with the unusual intermolecular NH…Pt hydrogen binding and the intrinsic ability for oligomerization, exhibits poor anticancer activity and strong denaturing property. The current study reveals that the balance between charge and hydrophobicity of the Pt complexes, also their hydrogen binding abilities and coordination mode are important for their anticancer activities. Moreover, this study may suggest C(1) and C(2) as the potential template structures for synthesis of new generation of four-coordinated Pt complexes with strong anticancer activities and weak denaturing effects against proteins.

Effect of homocysteine thiolactone on structure and aggregation propensity of bovine pancreatic insulin.

Homocysteine thiolactone (HCTL) is a cyclic thioester of homocysteine, showing high reactivity toward lysine residues of proteins. In the present study the structural properties and aggregation propensity of bovine pancreatic insulin were studied in the presences of increasing concentration of HCTL (0-500 µM), using different spectroscopic techniques. As shown in this study, HCTL induces gross structural alterations and subsequently aggregation of insulin in a dose dependent manner. Also induction of insulin aggregation by HCTL occurs in a sequential process, where native protein with alpha-helical abundant structure gradually transforms into partially folded conformations with the significant amount of beta-sheet. Since C-terminal B-chain of insulin plays a critical role in stability of this protein, the structural alteration/aggregation induced by HCTL can be consequence of homocysteinylation of the only Lysine residue (Lys29) on its B-chain. This study may have important implications regarding the effect of HCTL on structure of insulin particularly in the pathological states linked to hyperhomocysteinemia.