What Are the Major Physicochemical Factors in Determining the Preferential Nuclear Uptake of the DNA "Light-Switching" Ru(II)-Polypyridyl Complex in Live Cells via Ion-Pairing with Chlorophenolate Counter-Anions?

J Phys Chem Lett. 2019 Jul 18;10(14):4123-4128. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b01225. Epub 2019 Jul 9.

Abstract

Delivering potential theranostic metal complexes into preferential cellular targets is becoming of increasing interest. Here we report that nuclear uptake of a cell-impermeable DNA "light-switching" Ru(II)-polypyridyl complex can be significantly facilitated by chlorophenolate counter-anions, which was found, unexpectedly, to be correlated positively with the binding stability but inversely with the lipophilicity of the formed ion pairs.

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry, Physical
  • Chlorophenols / chemistry*
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Molecular Structure
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Pyridines / chemistry*
  • Ruthenium / chemistry*

Substances

  • Chlorophenols
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Ions
  • Polymers
  • Pyridines
  • Ruthenium
  • DNA