Zinc(II) complexes of constrained antiviral macrocycles.

The configurations of metallocyclams are of interest in relation to protein recognition and anti-HIV activity. We have synthesised four novel zinc(II) complexes with hexyl-Me(2)-cyclam (HMC; 3,14-dimethyl-2,6,13,17-tetraazatricyclo(16.4.0.0(7,12))docosane), 1, and naphthyl-hexyl-Me(2)-cyclam (NHMC; 2,13-bis(1-naphthylmethyl)-5,16-dimethyl-2,6,13,17-tetraazatricyclo(16.4.0.0(7,12))docosane), 2, as ligands. X-ray crystallographic data for Zn(II)-HMC diacetate, 3 show that zinc is six-coordinate in a distorted octahedral environment bound to four equatorial N atoms from the macrocycle and two axial acetato O atoms. The 14-membered metallo-macrocycle adopts a trans-III (RRSS) configuration with two six-membered rings in chair forms and two five-membered rings in gauche forms. In the chlorido Zn(II)-HMC complex 5, zinc appears to be 5-coordinate with square-pyramidal geometry. Interestingly, the chlorido Zn(II)-NHMC complex 6 crystallised in a trans-I configuration containing 4-coordinate tetrahedral zinc bound to three cyclam ring N atoms, a possible model for intermediates formed during the uptake and release of metals by cyclams. The ligand 1 and the zinc complex 3 were active towards viral strains HIV-1 (III(B)) (IC(50) values of 10.51 ± 0.23 and 3.50 ± 0.33 µM, respectively), and HIV-2 (ROD) (IC(50) values of 133.78 ± 14.10 and >110.67 µM, respectively). 2D [(1)H, (13)C] and [(1)H, (15)N] NMR spectroscopic studies suggested that the types of configurational isomers present in solution depend on the axial ligand.

Configurations of nickel-cyclam antiviral complexes and protein recognition.

Nickel(II)-xylylbicyclam is a potent anti-HIV agent and binds strongly to the CXCR4 co-receptor. We have investigated configurational equilibria of Ni(II)-cyclam derivatives, since these are important for receptor recognition. Crystallographic studies show that both trans and cis configurations are readily formed: [Ni(cyclam)(OAc)(2)] x H(2)O adopts the trans-III configuration with axial monodentate acetates, as does [Ni(benzylcyclam)(NO(3))(2)] with axial nitrate ligands, whereas [Ni(benzylcyclam)(OAc)](OAc)2 x H(2)O has an unusual folded cis-V configuration with Ni(II) coordination to bidentate acetate. UV/Vis and NMR studies show that the octahedral trans-III configuration slowly converts to square-planar trans-I in aqueous solution. For Ni(II)-xylylbicyclam, a mixture of cis-V and trans-I configurations was detected in solution. X-ray diffraction studies showed that crystals of lysozyme soaked in Ni(II)-cyclam or Ni(II) (2)-xylylbicyclam contain two major binding sites, one involving Ni(II) coordination to Asp101 and hydrophobic interactions between the cyclam ring and Trp62 and Trp63, and the second hydrophobic interactions with Trp123. For Ni(II)-cyclam bound to Asp101, the cis-V configuration predominates.

Configurationally restricted bismacrocyclic CXCR4 receptor antagonists.

A zinc(II) containing configurationally restricted analogue of bismacrocyclic cyclam-type CXCR4 chemokine receptor antagonists has been synthesized and shown to adopt only one configuration in solution. The single crystal X-ray structure reveals favorable binding to acetate via a bidentate chelation that can be related to the proposed interaction with aspartate on the receptor protein surface. The zinc(II) complex is highly active against HIV infection in vitro.

Protein recognition of macrocycles: binding of anti-HIV metallocyclams to lysozyme.

The macrocyclic antiviral drug xylyl-bicyclam blocks entry of HIV into cells by targeting the CXCR4 coreceptor, a seven-helix transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor. Its affinity for CXCR4 is enhanced by binding to Cu2+, Ni2+, or Zn2+. Metallocyclams have a rich configurational chemistry and proteins may bind selectively to specific metallocyclam configurations. Our studies of lysozyme reveal structural details of protein-metallocyclam interactions that are important for receptor recognition. Solution NMR studies show that Cu-cyclam interacts with specific tryptophan residues of lysozyme (Trp-62, Trp-63, and Trp-123). Two major binding sites for both Cu-cyclam and Cu2-xylyl-bicyclam were detected by x-ray crystallography. In the first site, Cu2+ in one cyclam ring of Cu2-xylyl-bicyclam adopts a trans configuration and is coordinated to a carboxylate oxygen of Asp-101, whereas for Cu-cyclam two ring NH groups form H bonds to the carboxylate oxygens of Asp-101, stabilizing an unusual cis (folded) cyclam configuration. For both complexes in this site, a cyclam ring is sandwiched between the indole side chains of two tryptophan residues (Trp-62 and Trp-63). In the second site, a trans cyclam ring is stacked on Trp-123 and H bonded to the backbone carbonyl of Gly-117. We show that there is a pocket in a model of the human CXCR4 coreceptor in which trans and cis configurations of metallobicyclam can bind by direct metal coordination to carboxylate side chains, cyclam-NH...carboxylate H bonding, together with hydrophobic interactions with tryptophan residues. These studies provide a structural basis for the design of macrocycles that bind stereospecifically to G-coupled and other protein receptors.

Half-sandwich arene ruthenium(II)-enzyme complex.

The 1.6 [Angstrom] X-ray crystal structure of [(eta(6)-p-cymene)Ru(lysozyme)Cl(2)], the first of a half-sandwich complex of a protein, shows selective ruthenation of Nepsilon of the imidazole ring of His15.

Configurations of metallocyclams and relevance to anti-HIV activity.

Antiviral cyclam macrocycles block viral entry into cells by binding to the CXCR4 co-receptor. Cyclams bind transition metal ions strongly and can potentially form a range of trans (I-V) and cis configurations which may be recognised differently by co-receptor proteins. A survey of the CSD (crystallographic structural database) shows that the trans-III configuration is the most common in the solid state for complexes of cyclam itself. Other configurations can be induced by N-substitution or ternary complexation and by interaction with solvents in solution. We report X-ray structures for the square-planar trans-III complexes [Pd(cyclam)]Cl(2).2MeOH and the C-C linked dimer [Pd(2)(2,2'-bi-(1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane))](ClO4)(4), in which the planes of the two cyclam rings are close to perpendicular (100.1 degrees ), and for tetra-N-benzyl-cyclam and its 5-coordinate Ni(II) complex [Ni(Bz(4)-cyclam)Cl]Cl which has the unusual trans-I configuration.

EBNA1 efficiently assembles on chromatin containing the Epstein-Barr virus latent origin of replication.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein, EBNA1, activates the replication of latent EBV episomes and the transcription of EBV latency genes by binding to recognition sites in the DS and FR elements of oriP. Since EBV episomes exist as chromatin, we have examined the interaction of EBNA1 with oriP templates assembled with physiologically spaced nucleosomes. We show that EBNA1 retains the ability to efficiently bind its recognition sites within the DS and FR elements in oriP chromatin and that this property is intrinsic to the EBNA1 DNA binding domain. The efficient assembly of EBNA1 on oriP chromatin does not require ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factors and does not cause the precise positioning of nucleosomes within or adjacent to the FR and DS elements. Thus EBNA1 belongs to a select group of proteins that can efficiently access their recognition sites within nucleosomes without the need for additional chromatin remodeling factors.

Structure and dynamics of metallomacrocycles: recognition of zinc xylyl-bicyclam by an HIV coreceptor.

As platforms for the design of metal-based therapeutic and diagnostic agents, macrocycles are rigid enough to provide strong metal binding sites and orient functional groups stereoselectively, yet flexible enough to accommodate structural changes required for induced-fit recognition of biological targets. We consider the recognition of the Zn(II) complex of the bis-tetraazamacrocycle xylyl-bicyclam, a potent anti-HIV agent, by the coreceptor CXCR4, a G-protein-coupled receptor used by HIV for membrane fusion and cell entry. NMR studies show that the macrocycles of Zn(II)(2)-xylyl-bicyclam perchlorate exist in aqueous solution as two major configurations, trans-I (nitrogen chirality R,S,R,S), and trans-III (S,S,R,R). Acetate addition induced a major structural change. X-ray crystallography shows that the acetate complex contains the unusual cis-V cyclam configuration (R,R,R,R and folded) with bidentate coordination of acetate to Zn(II) plus second-coordination-sphere double H-bond formation between diagonal NH protons on the opposite cyclam face and acetate carboxylate oxygens. Detailed 1D and 2D NMR studies show that the major configuration of Zn(II)(2)-xylyl-bicyclam acetate in aqueous solution is cis-V/trans-I. Molecular modeling shows that an analogous cis-V site can be formed when Zn(II)(2)-xylyl-bicyclam binds to CXCR4, involving the carboxylate groups of Asp262 (Zn(II) coordination) and Glu288 (double H-bonding). The second cyclam can adopt the trans-I (or trans-III) configuration with Zn(II) binding to Asp171. These interactions are consistent with the known structure-activity relationships for bicyclam anti-HIV activity and receptor mutation. Consideration of the anti-HIV activity of xylyl-bicyclam complexes of other metal ions suggests that affinity for carboxylates, configurational flexibility, and kinetic factors may all play roles in receptor recognition. For example, Pd(II) cyclam complexes interact only weakly with axial ligands and are inflexible and inactive, whereas Co(III) cyclams bind carboxylates strongly, are configurationally flexible, and yet have low activity. Our findings should aid the design of new generations of active macrocycles including highly specific chemokine receptor antagonists.