Binding of ruthenium and osmium at non­iron sites of transferrin accounts for their iron-independent cellular uptake.

Being identified with less toxic and generally showing selective effects for solid tumor metastases, ruthenium and osmium compounds are promising drug candidates for clinical uses. Human serum proteins, such as albumin and transferrin, play vital roles in the transportation and accumulation of ruthenium and osmium agents into target tissues. However, the molecular mechanism of how transferrin transport ruthenium and their osmium analogues at atomic level remains obscure. In this study, we uncovered that the cellular uptake of Os3+ or Ru3+ are not competed by Fe3+. To unveil the molecular mechanism behind the phenomena, we report the first crystal structures of human serum transferrin (hTF) in complex with ruthenium and osmium compounds bound to the non-conserved residues on the surface of hTF without altering its overall conformation. As for Ru3+ and Os3+, these binding sites by descending affinity are: His14/His289, His349-350 ~ His578/Arg581. Ruthenium drugs and their osmium analogues preferentially bind to His14/His289 with bipyridine or imidazole ligands leaving. These binding sites on hTF surface are also available in human lactoferrin and some transferrin family member of other species. The presence of these binding sites makes the cellular uptake of Ru3+ and Os3+ less affected by Fe3+, compare to Zr4+ or Hf4+. Collectively, these findings are critical for our understanding of the role of serum transferrin in cellular delivery of ruthenium and osmium anticancer agents.

Antagonizing STAT5B dimerization with an osmium complex.

Targeting STAT5 is an appealing therapeutic strategy for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and inflammation. Here, we present the novel osmium(II) complex 1 as the first metal-based inhibitor of STAT5B dimerization. Complex 1 exhibited superior inhibitory activity against STAT5B DNA binding compared to STAT5A DNA binding. Moreover, 1 repressed STAT5B transcription and blocked STAT5B dimerization via binding to the STAT5B protein, thereby inhibiting STAT5B translocation to the nucleus. Furthermore, 1 was able to selectively inhibit STAT5B phosphorylation without affecting the expression level of STAT5B.

Photogeneration of metastable side-on N2 linkage isomers in [Ru(NH3)5N2]Cl2, [Ru(NH3)5N2]Br2 and [Os(NH3)5N2]Cl2.

Photogeneration of side-on N2 linkage isomers in [Ru(NH3)5N2]2+ and [Os(NH3)5N2]2+ is achieved by irradiation with lambda = 325 nm of powder samples at T = 80 K and detected by the downshift of the nu(N-N) vibration and by the heat release at elevated temperature due to the back switching of the side-on configuration to the ground state. The concentration of the transferred molecules is evaluated by the decrease of the area of the nu(N-N) or 2nu(N-N) vibrational bands. All characteristic changes between the linear Ru-N-N and side-on configuration are predicted by DFT calculations: the structure of the anion, shifts of the vibrations, electronic excitation energy, energetic position and sequence of the electronic orbitals, the potentials of the ground and relaxed metastable state with the activation energy, saddle points and energetic position of the minimum.

A density functional theory study of the electronic properties of Os(II) and Os(III) complexes immobilized on Au(111).

We present a density functional theory (DFT) study of an osmium polypyridyl complex adsorbed on Au(111). The osmium polypyridyl complex [Os(bpy)2(P0P)Cl]n+ [bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, P0P is 4,4'-bipyridine, n = 1 for osmium(II), and n = 2 for osmium(III)] is bound to the surface through the free nitrogen of the P0P ligand. The calculations illuminate electronic properties relevant to recent comprehensive characterization of this class of osmium complexes by electrochemistry and electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy. The optimized structures for the compounds are in close agreement with crystallographic structures reported in the literature. Oxidation of the complex has little effect on these structural features, but there is a substantial reordering of the electronic energy levels with corresponding changes in the electron density. Significantly, the highest occupied molecular orbital shifts from the metal center to the P0P ligand. The surface is modeled by a cluster of 28 gold atoms and gives a good description of the effect of immobilization on the electronic properties of the complexes. The results show that the coupling between the immobilized complex and the gold surface involves electronic polarization at the adsorbate/substrate interface rather than the formation of a covalent bond. However, the cluster is too small to fully represent bulk gold with the result that, contrary to what is experimentally observed, the DFT calculation predicts that the gold surface is more easily oxidized than the osmium(II) complex.

Spectroscopic and computational investigations of stable radical anions of triosmium benzoheterocycle clusters.

The variable temperature (1)H and (13)C NMR and EPR spectra of the stable radical anions [Os(3)(CO)(9)(micro(3)-eta(2)-L)(micro-H)] (LH=phenanthridine, 1; 5,6-benzoquinoline, 2), and [Os(3)(CO)(10)(micro(3)-eta(2)-L)(micro-H)] (LH=quinoxaline, 3) are reported. The radical anions 1(-), 2(-), and 3(-) can be prepared by both exhaustive electrolysis and partially by chemical reduction with cobaltocene and with sodium dispersion (only with sodium dispersion in the case of 3(-)). DFT calculations on 1-3 reveal that the LUMO for the electron-deficient compounds 1 and 2 involves significant contributions from both the heterocyclic ligand and the two metal atoms bridged by the ligand and the micro-hydride. The character of this orbital rationalizes the previously observed regioselective reactions of these complexes with nucleophiles. In contrast, the LUMO for the electron precise 3 involves only ligand-based orbitals. Partial chemical reduction of 1 and 2 requires an excess of either cobaltocene or sodium, and their (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra reveal selective line broadening of those proton resonances that are predicted by DFT calculations to bear the greatest amount of free spin density. The variable temperature behavior of the partially chemically reduced species of 1 and 2 indicates that electron transfer between the reduced/unreduced cluster pair and between the cobaltocene/cobaltocenium pair occurs on the NMR timescale. The radical anions of 1 and 2 prepared by exhaustive electrolysis show an EPR signal at room temperature, while the NMR signals are uniformly broadened. Compound 3 appears to be partially reduced by sodium at room temperature and shows uniformly broadened (1)H NMR resonances at room temperature that sharpen significantly at -80 degrees C. The temperature dependence of the spectra are discussed in terms of the effects of relative electron nuclear relaxation processes, chemical exchange, and the results of the DFT calculations.

Spectrophotometric kinetic study and analytical implications of the glucose oxidase-catalyzed reduction of [MIII(LL)2Cl2]+ complexes by D-glucose (M = Os and Ru, LL = 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline type ligands).

Glucose oxidase-catalyzed reduction of cis-[MIII(LL)2Cl2]+ (M = Os and Ru) complexes to cis-[MII(LL)2Cl2] (LL = 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline type ligands) by D-glucose is a first-order process in the complex and the enzyme in aqueous buffered solution. The reaction follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics in D-glucose and the rate is independent of D-glucose concentration above 0.03 M. The reactivity decreases in the series [Ru(bpy)2Cl2]+ > [Os(phen)2Cl2]+ > [Os(4,4'-Me2bpy)2Cl2]+ > [Os(4,7-Me2phen)2Cl2]+. The measured second-order rate constant for the oxidation of reduced glucose oxidase by [Os(phen)2Cl2]+ in air equals 1.2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 at pH 6,7, [D-glucose] 0.05 M, and 25 degrees C, which is ca. 20% less than that when the reaction solutions are purged with argon. In the case of [Ru(bpy)2Cl2]+ the rate constant equals 1.8 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 under similar conditions in air, showing higher reactivity of Ru complexes compared with Os ones. The reduction is pH-dependent with a maximum around 7. Added for solubilization of poorly soluble metal complexes, surfactants decrease the rates of the enzymatic reaction. The retardation effect increases in the series: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide < Triton X-100 << sodium dodecyl sulfate, i.e. on going from positively charged to neutral and then to negatively charged surfactants. The behavior of the OsIII and RuIII complexes toward reduced glucose oxidase contrasts to that of recently studied ferricenium cations. As opposed to the latter, the former do not show kinetically meaningful binding with the enzyme, and the Michaelis kinetics typical of the ferricenium case is not realized for the OsIII, and RuIII species. The systems OsIII- or RuIII-glucose oxidase are convenient for routine "one pot" spectrophotometric monitoring of the D-glucose content in samples, since the metal reduction to MII is accompanied by a strong increase in absorbance in the visible spectral region.