Biological Effects of C60 Fullerene Revealed with Bacterial Biosensor-Toxic or Rather Antioxidant?

Nanoparticles have been attracting growing interest for both their antioxidant and toxic effects. Their exact action on cells strongly depends on many factors, including experimental conditions, preparation, and solvents used, which have contributed to the confusion regarding their safety and possible health benefits. In order to clarify the biological effects of the most abundant fullerene C60, its impact on the Escherichia coli model has been studied. The main question was if C60 would have any antioxidant influence on the cell and, if yes, whether and to which extent it would be concentration-dependent. An oxidative stress induced by adding hydrogen peroxide was measured with an E. coli MG1655 pKatG-lux strain sensor, with its time evolution being recorded in the presence of fullerene C60 suspensions of different concentrations. Optimal conditions for the fullerene C60 solubilization in TWEEN 80 2% aqueous solution, together with resulting aggregate sizes, were determined. Results obtained for the bacterial model can be extrapolated on eukaryote mitochondria. The ability of C60 to penetrate through biological membranes, conduct protons, and interact with free radicals is likely responsible for its protective effect detected for E. coli. Thus, fullerene can be considered as a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, worth further researching as a prospective component of novel medications.

Fullerenes as Anti-Aging Antioxidants.

Here we review fullerenes biological effects focusing on their antioxidant and anti-ageing action. A scope of various poisonous and healing properties reported in literature for fullerene and its derivatives is analyzed. The review begins with the history of fullerenes discovery and their main properties. Then we focus on the longevity and antioxidant action, including the confrontation of available experimental data and theoretical modeling of buckminsterfullerene C60. Special attention is given to our hypothesis concerning the possibility of fullerenes to act as mitochondria protonophore and various simulations of the transport of C60 and its hydroxylated and other derivatives through lipid bilayer membranes, which can account for scavenging capacity of fullerenes for reactive oxygen species and their acting as mild mitochondrial respiration uncouplers. Extension of the theoretical modeling to the mitochondria membranes and implications on the real biological systems is analyzed. Finally, we focus on the toxicity evaluation and current therapeutic usage of fullerenes. The review contains a comprehensive discussion of both papers published by 2016 and our own research results.

Spectroscopic analysis of catalytic water oxidation by [Ru(II)(bpy)(tpy)H2O]2+ suggests that Ru(V)═O is not a rate-limiting intermediate.

Modern chemistry's grand challenge is to significantly improve catalysts for water splitting. Further progress requires detailed spectroscopic and computational characterization of catalytic mechanisms. We analyzed one of the most studied homogeneous single-site Ru catalysts, [Ru(II)(bpy)(tpy)H2O](2+) (where bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, tpy = 2,2';6',2″-terpyridine). Our results reveal that the [Ru(V)(bpy)(tpy)═O](3+) intermediate, reportedly detected in catalytic mixtures as a rate-limiting intermediate in water activation, is not present as such. Using a combination of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we demonstrate that 95% of the Ru complex in the catalytic steady state is of the form [Ru(IV)(bpy)(tpy)═O](2+). [Ru(V)(bpy)(tpy)═O](3+) was not observed, and according to density functional theory (DFT) analysis, it might be thermodynamically inaccessible at our experimental conditions. A reaction product with unique EPR spectrum was detected in reaction mixtures at about 5% and assigned to Ru(III)-peroxo species with (-OOH or -OO- ligands). We also analyzed the [Ru(II)(bpy)(tpy)Cl](+) catalyst precursor and confirmed that this molecule is not a catalyst and its oxidation past Ru(III) state is impeded by a lack of proton-coupled electron transfer. Ru-Cl exchange with water is required to form active catalysts with the Ru-H2O fragment. [Ru(II)(bpy)(tpy)H2O](2+) is the simplest representative of a larger class of water oxidation catalysts with neutral, nitrogen containing heterocycles. We expect this class of catalysts to work mechanistically in a similar fashion via [Ru(IV)(bpy)(tpy)═O](2+) intermediate unless more electronegative (oxygen containing) ligands are introduced in the Ru coordination sphere, allowing the formation of more oxidized Ru(V) intermediate.

Experimental demonstration of radicaloid character in a Ru(V)=O intermediate in catalytic water oxidation.

Water oxidation is the key half reaction in artificial photosynthesis. An absence of detailed mechanistic insight impedes design of new catalysts that are more reactive and more robust. A proposed paradigm leading to enhanced reactivity is the existence of oxyl radical intermediates capable of rapid water activation, but there is a dearth of experimental validation. Here, we show the radicaloid nature of an intermediate reactive toward formation of the O-O bond by assessing the spin density on the oxyl group by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR). In the study, an (17)O-labeled form of a highly oxidized, short-lived intermediate in the catalytic cycle of the water oxidation catalyst cis,cis-[(2,2-bipyridine)2(H2O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(OH2)(bpy)2](4+) was investigated. It contains Ru centers in oxidation states [4,5], has at least one Ru(V) = O unit, and shows

Structure and electronic configurations of the intermediates of water oxidation in blue ruthenium dimer catalysis.

Catalytic O(2) evolution with cis,cis-[(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)Ru(III)ORu(III)(OH(2))(bpy)(2)](4+) (bpy is 2,2-bipyridine), the so-called blue dimer, the first designed water oxidation catalyst, was monitored by UV-vis, EPR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with ms time resolution. Two processes were identified, one of which occurs on a time scale of 100 ms to a few seconds and results in oxidation of the catalyst with the formation of an intermediate, here termed [3,4]'. A slower process occurring on the time scale of minutes results in the decay of this intermediate and O(2) evolution. Spectroscopic data suggest that within the fast process there is a short-lived transient intermediate, which is a precursor of [3,4]'. When excess oxidant was used, a highly oxidized form of the blue dimer [4,5] was spectroscopically resolved within the time frame of the fast process. Its structure and electronic state were confirmed by EPR and XAS. As reported earlier, the [3,4]' intermediate likely results from reaction of [4,5] with water. While it is generated under strongly oxidizing conditions, it does not display oxidation of the Ru centers past [3,4] according to EPR and XAS. EXAFS analysis demonstrates a considerably modified ligand environment in [3,4]'. Raman measurements confirmed the presence of the O-O fragment by detecting a new vibration band in [3,4]' that undergoes a 46 cm(-1) shift to lower energy upon (16)O/(18)O exchange. Under the conditions of the experiment at pH 1, the [3,4]' intermediate is the catalytic steady state form of the blue dimer catalyst, suggesting that its oxidation is the rate-limiting step.

Understanding the electronic structure of 4d metal complexes: from molecular spinors to L-edge spectra of a di-Ru catalyst.

L(2,3)-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has demonstrated unique capabilities for the analysis of the electronic structure of di-Ru complexes such as the blue dimer cis,cis-[Ru(III)(2)O(H(2)O)(2)(bpy)(4)](4+) water oxidation catalyst. Spectra of the blue dimer and the monomeric [Ru(NH(3))(6)](3+) model complex show considerably different splitting of the Ru L(2,3) absorption edge, which reflects changes in the relative energies of the Ru 4d orbitals caused by hybridization with a bridging ligand and spin-orbit coupling effects. To aid the interpretation of spectroscopic data, we developed a new approach, which computes L(2,3)-edges XAS spectra as dipole transitions between molecular spinors of 4d transition metal complexes. This allows for careful inclusion of the spin-orbit coupling effects and the hybridization of the Ru 4d and ligand orbitals. The obtained theoretical Ru L(2,3)-edge spectra are in close agreement with experiment. Critically, existing single-electron methods (FEFF, FDMNES) broadly used to simulate XAS could not reproduce the experimental Ru L-edge spectra for the [Ru(NH(3))(6)](3+) model complex nor for the blue dimer, while charge transfer multiplet (CTM) calculations were not applicable due to the complexity and low symmetry of the blue dimer water oxidation catalyst. We demonstrated that L-edge spectroscopy is informative for analysis of bridging metal complexes. The developed computational approach enhances L-edge spectroscopy as a tool for analysis of the electronic structures of complexes, materials, catalysts, and reactive intermediates with 4d transition metals.