A novel Cu(II)-based DNA-intercalating agent: Structural and biological insights using biophysical and in silico techniques

Abstract

A new mixed-ligand Cu(II) complex formulated as [Cu(dipic)(amp)(H2O)].H2O (dipic: pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, amp: 2-amino-4-methylpyridine), was synthesized and structurally characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, CHN analysis, and the single-crystal X-ray crystallographic method. The complex crystallizes in an orthorhombic space group Pna21, and the coordination environment around the metal center was found to be a pentacoordinate CuN2O2OW distorted square-pyramidal geometry. In order to systematically explore a detailed in vitro and in silico study of the DNA binding of the title complex, various biophysical (UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence, competitive binding with ethidium bromide) and theoretical (DFT, molecular docking simulation, and QM/MM) methods were applied which revealed that the complex could intercalate with the insertion of the amp ligand between the DNA base pairs. The experimental thermodynamic parameters of the interaction revealed the spontaneity of the process and the domination of the hydrophobic interactions in the association and stabilization of the DNA-Cu(II) complex adduct, which was in line with the docking and QM/MM data. In vitro cytotoxic potential of the complex against the human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells was examined using MTT assay, which indicated that cancerous cells showed inhibition in presence of the complex.