Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in America and current treatments, such as the platinum-based anticancer drug cisplatin, have severe side effects. Research has moved towards ruthenium-based anticancer drugs because they have a higher efficacy for cancer cells over normal cells resulting in lower side effects. The ruthenium compounds also have more oxidation states accessible at physiological conditions, octahedral geometry allowing more ligand variation, and more binding modes to DNA. The goal of this research project is to observe the interactions of [Ru(Phen)2(imPhen)]2+ with λ-phage DNA via tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Planar aromatic ligands like 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) and 1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (imPhen) tend to coordinate in an intercalative binding mode that is favorable for anticancer activity. The ruthenium compound, [Ru(Phen)2(imPhen)]Cl2, was synthesized and characterized using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Sample preparation parameters for AFM visualization of DNA were optimized, and initial AFM experiments were performed on the change in the DNA conformation when complexed with [Ru(Phen)2(imPhen)]Cl2.

Characterization of [Ru(Phen)2(imPhen)]2+ DNA interactions using atomic force microscopy

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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