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Intensive reports allowed the conclusion that molecules with extended aromatic surfaces always do good jobs in the DNA interactions. Inspired by the previous successful researches, herein, we designed a series of cationic porphyrins with expanded planar substituents, and evaluated their binding behaviors to G-quadruplex DNA using the combination of surface-enhanced raman, circular dichroism, absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer melting assays. Asymmetrical tetracationic porphyrin with one phenyl-4-N-methyl-4-pyridyl group and three N-methyl-4-pyridyl groups exhibit the best G4-DNA binding affinities among all the designed compounds, suggesting that the bulk of the substituents should be matched to the width of the grooves they putatively lie in. Theoretical calculations applying the density functional theory have been carried out and explain the binding properties of these porphyrins reasonably. Meanwhile, these porphyrins were proved to be potential photochemotherapeutic agents since they have photocytotoxic activities against both myeloma cell (Ag8.653) and gliomas cell (U251) lines., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The DNA-binding affinities and DNA photocleavage abilities of cationic porphyrin, 5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris(4-methylpyridiniumyl)porphyrin (CTMPyP), and its reference compound meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridiniumyl)porphyrin (H2TMPyP) have been investigated. The DNA-binding behaviors of the two compounds in NaH2PO4 buffer were compared systematically by using absorption, fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectra, thermal denaturation as well as viscosity measurements. The experimental results show that CTMPyP binds to DNA in an outside binding mode, while H2TMPyP in an intercalative mode. Photocleavage experiments reveal that both two compounds employ 1O2-mediated mechanism in cleaving DNA and H2TMPyP can cleave DNA more efficiently than CTMPyP. Theoretical calculations were carried out with the density functional theory (DFT), and the calculated results indicate that the character and energies of some frontier orbitals of CTMPyP are quite different from those of H2TMPyP. These theoretical results can be used to explain their different DNA-binding modes and affinities to a certain extent.

Four cationic porphyrin-anthraquinone (Por-AQ) hybrids differing in lengths of flexible alkyl linkage, 5-[4-(1-N-anthraquinonon-yl)-L-oxophenyl]-10,15,20-tris(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin triiodide, (L = acetyl, pentanoyl, octanoyl, undecanoyl, designed as [AQATMPyP]I3, [AQPTMPyP]I3, [AQOTMPyP]I3 and [AQUTMPyP]I3, respectively, see Fig. 1), were synthesized and their interactions with DNA were investigated. The results of spectroscopic, denaturation and viscosity measurements suggest that [AQATMPyP]I3 binds to DNA through non-intercalative mode while the other three hybrids with longer links bind via bis-intercalative mode. Ethidium bromide (EB) competition experiment was carried out to determine the binding constants (Kb) of these compounds for CT DNA, and [AQPTMPyP]I3 shows the largest Kb among these hybrids. The photocleavage mechanism and wavelength-dependent cleaving abilities of these hybrids to pBR322 plasmid DNA were also comparably investigated.

The thermodynamics of the binding of a series of structurally related Ru(II) antitumor complexes, that is, alpha-[Ru(azpy)2Cl2] 1, beta-[Ru(azpy)2Cl2] 2, alpha-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)Cl2] 3, and cis-[Ru(bpy)2Cl2] 4 to DNA purine bases (gunine, adenine at N7 site) has been studied by using the DFT method. The binding of imine form of 9-methyladenine (9-MeAde) to the Ru(II) moiety in a didentate fashion via its N6 and N7 atoms was also considered. The geometrical structures of the DNA model base adducts were obtained at the B3LYP/(LanL2DZ + 6-31G(d)) level in vacuo. The following exact single-point energy calculations were performed at the B3LYP/(LanL2DZ(f)+6-311+G(2d, 2p)) level both in vacuo and in aqueous solution using the COSMO model. The bond dissociation enthalpies and free energies, reaction enthalpies and free energies both in the gas phase and in aqueous solution for all considered Ru(II)-DNA model base adducts were obtained from the computations. The calculated bond dissociation enthalpies and free energies allow us to build a binding affinity order for the considered Ru(II)-DNA model base adducts. The theoretical results show that the guanine N7 is a preferred site for this series of complexes and support such an experimental fact that alpha-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)(9-EtGua)H2O](2+) (3-(9-EtGua)) is isomerized to alpha'-[Ru(azpy)(bpy)(9-EtGua)H2O](2+) (3'-(9-EtGua)). On the basis of structural and thermodynamical characteristics, the possible structure-activity relationship was obtained, and the distinct difference in cytotoxicities of this series of structurally related antitumor complexes was explained theoretically.

Four tricationic pyridium porphyrins appending hydroxyphenyl, methoxyphenyl, propionoxyphenyl or carboxyphenyl group at meso-20-position of porphyrin core have been synthesized and their abilities to bind and cleave DNA have been investigated. Using a combination of absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectra, thermal DNA denaturation as well as viscosity measurements, their binding modes and intrinsic binding constants (K(b)) to calf DNA (CT DNA) were comparatively studied and also compared with those of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (TMPyP). The results suggest that the K(b) values of these porphyrins are greatly influenced by the number of positive charges and steric hindrance. Theoretical calculations applying the density functional theory (DFT) have been carried out and explain their DNA-binding properties reasonably. The efficiency of DNA photocleavage by these porphyrins shows high dependence on the values of K(b).

A novel cationic porphyrin-anthraquinone (Por-AQ) hybrid has been synthesized and characterized. Using the combination of absorption titration, fluorescence spectra, circular dichroism (CD) as well as viscosity measurements, the binding properties of the hybrid to calf thymus (CT) DNA have been investigated compared with its parent porphyrin. The experimental results show that at low [Por]/[DNA] ratios, the parent porphyrin binds to DNA in an intercalative mode while the hybrid binds in a combined mode of outside binding (for porphyrin moiety) and partial intercalation (for anthraquinone). Ethidium bromide (EB) competition experiment determined the binding affinity constants (K(app)) of the compounds for CT DNA. Theoretical calculational results applying the density functional theory (DFT) can explain the different DNA binding behaviors reasonably. (1)O(2) was suggested to be the reactive species responsible for the DNA photocleavage of porphyrin moieties in both two compounds. The wavelength-depending cleavage activities of the compounds were also investigated.

A combined computational and experimental study on DNA-photocleavage by Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes [Ru(bpy)2(L)]2+ 1-3 (bpy = 2,2-bipyridine; L: pip = 2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]1,10-phenanthroline, o-mopip = 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f]1,10-phenanthroline and p-mopip = 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f]1,10-phenanthroline) has been carried out. The DNA-photocleavage behavior of these complexes was comparably measured by the gel electrophoresis experiments. The experimental results show that they can induce considerable DNA-photocleavage, and have different DNA-photocleavage efficiencies (phi) following the order phi (1) < phi (2) < phi (3). In order to understand their DNA-photocleavage mechanism and trend, the theoretical studies on the geometric and electronic structures of these complexes in the ground state (S0), the first singlet excited state (S1) and triplet excited states (T1), have been carried out using the density functional theory (DFT/TD-DFT), Hartree-Fock (HF) and configuration interaction singles (CIS) methods. In particular, the reduction potentials (E*red) of the excited complexes in aqueous solution, which seem to be closely responsible for the DNA-photocleavage behavior, were calculated to be 0.966 V (vs. SCE) for complex , 1.024 V (vs. SCE) for complex and 1.030 V (vs. SCE) for complex , respectively. Such computational results show that the reduction potentials of the excited complexes reach the theoretical range for oxidizing some DNA-bases, and follow the order E*red (1) < E*red (2) < E*red (3). Therefore, here, in addition to the general theoretical explanation of their DNA-photocleavage mechanism according to our recent report, a further explanation on the trend of their DNA-photocleavage efficiencies, i.e., phi (1) < phi (2) < phi (3), was reasonably carried out, on the basis of the calculated electrochemical properties in the excited states as well as general photochemical insights.

The structures and related properties of the complex [Ru(phen)2(6-OH-dppz)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; dppz = dipyrido [3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) in the ground state (S0), the first singlet excited state (S1), and the first triplet excited state (T1) have been studied using density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent (TD) DFT, Hartree-Fock (HF), and configuration interaction singles (CIS) methods. Three electronic absorption-spectral bands (1MLCT, 1LL, and 1LL) lying in the range of 250-550 nm in vacuo and in aqueous solution were theoretically calculated, simulated, and assigned with TDDFT method. In particular, the theoretical results show the following: (1) The positive charges of central Ru atom in the excited states (S1 and T1) are greatly increased relative to those in the ground state (S0), and thus the Ru atom in the excited states can be regarded as Ru(III). (2) The positive charges on the main ligand (6-OH-dppz) in the excited states are considerably reduced, and thus the interaction between the main ligand (intercalative ligand) and DNA base pairs is considerably weakened. (3) The geometric structures in excited states are also distorted, resulting in obvious increase in the coordination bond length. It is advantageous to the complex forming a high oxidizing center (i.e., Ru(III) ion). On the basis of these results, a theoretical explanation on photoinduced oxidation reduction mechanism of DNA photocleavage by [Ru(phen)2(6-OH-dppz)](2+) has been presented.

Studies on the electronic structures and trend in DNA-binding affinities of a series of Ru(II) complexes [Ru(bpy)2(p-R-pip)]2+ (bpy = 2,2-bipyridine; pip = 2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f] [1,10]-phenanthroline; R = -OH, -CH3, -H, -NO2) 1-4 have been carried out, using the density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/LanL2DZ level. The electronic absorption spectra of these complexes were also investigated using time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) at the B3LYP//LanL2DZ/6-31G level. The computational results show that the substituents on the parent ligand (pip) have a significant effect on the electronic structures of the complexes, in particular, on the energies of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and near some unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO+x, x = 1-4). With the increase in electron-withdrawing ability of the substituent in this series, the LUMO+x (x = 0-4) energies of the complexes are substantially reduced in order, for example, epsilon(LUMO)(1) approximately epsilon(LUMO)(2) > epsilon(LUMO)(3) > epsilon(LUMO)(4), whereas the pi-component populations of the LUMO+x (x = 0-4) are not substantially different. Combining the consideration of the bigger steric hindrance of complex 2, the trend in DNA-binding affinities (K(b)) of the complexes, that is, K(b)(2) < K(b)(1) < K(b)(3) < K(b)(4) can be reasonably explained. In addition, the experimental singlet metal-to-ligand charge transfer ((1)MLCT) spectra of these complexes can be well simulated and discussed by the TDDFT calculations.