Photocytotoxic Oxovanadium(IV) Complexes Showing Light-Induced DNA and Protein Cleavage Activity

Oxovanadium(IV) complexes [VO(L)(B)]Cl2 (1−3), where L is bis(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)amine and B is 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), dipyrido[3,2-d:2′,3′-f]quinoxaline (dpq) or dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine (dppz), have been prepared, characterized, and their photo-induced DNA and protein cleavage activity studied. The photocytotoxicity of complex 3 has been studied using adenocarcinoma A549 cells. The phen complex 1, structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, shows the presence of a vanadyl group in six-coordinate VON5 coordination geometry. The ligands L and phen display tridentate and bidentate N-donor chelating binding modes, respectively. The complexes exhibit a d-d band near 740 nm in 15% DMF-Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.2). The phen and dpq complexes display an irreversible cathodic cyclic voltammetric response near −0.8 V in 20% DMF-Tris-HCl buffer having 0.1 M KCl as supporting electrolyte. The dppz complex 3 exhibits a quasi-reversible voltammogram near −0.6 V (vs SCE) that is assignable to the V(IV)−V(III) couple. The complexes bind to calf thymus DNA giving binding constant values in the range of 6.6 × 104−2.9 × 105 M−1. The binding site size, thermal melting and viscosity binding data suggest DNA surface and/or groove binding nature of the complexes. The complexes show poor “chemical nuclease” activity in dark in the presence of 3-mercaptopropionic acid or hydrogen peroxide. The dpq and dppz complexes are efficient photocleavers of plasmid DNA in UV-A light of 365 nm via a mechanistic pathway that involves formation of both singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals. The complexes show significant photocleavage of DNA in near-IR light (>750 nm) via hydroxyl radical pathway. Among the three complexes, the dppz complex 3 shows significant BSA and lysozyme protein cleavage activity in UV-A light of 365 nm via hydroxyl radical pathway. The dppz complex 3 also exhibits photocytotoxicity in non-small cell lung carcinoma/human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells giving IC50 value of 17 μM in visible light (IC50 = 175 μM in dark).