Molecular modeling and spectroscopic studies of semustine binding with DNA and its comparison with lomustine-DNA adduct formation

Chloroethyl nitrosoureas constitute an important family of cancer chemotherapeutic agents, used in the treatment of various types of cancer. They exert antitumor activity by inducing DNA interstrand cross-links. Semustine, a chloroethyl nitrosourea, is a 4-methyl derivative of lomustine. There exist some interesting reports dealing with DNA-binding properties of chloroethyl nitrosoureas; however, underlying mechanism of cytotoxicity caused by semustine has not been precisely and completely delineated. The present work focuses on understanding semustine-DNA interaction to comprehend its anti-proliferative action at molecular level using various spectroscopic techniques. Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy is used to determine the binding site of semustine on DNA. Conformational transition in DNA after semustine complexation is investigated using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Stability of semustine-DNA complexes is determined using absorption spectroscopy. Results of the present study demonstrate that semustine performs major-groove-directed DNA alkylation at guanine residues in an incubation-time-drug-concentration-dependent manner. CD spectral outcomes suggest partial transition of DNA from native B-conformation to C-form. Calculated binding constants (Ka) for semustine and lomustine interactions with DNA are 1.53 × 10(3) M(-1) and 8.12 × 10(3) M(-1), respectively. Moreover, molecular modeling simulation is performed to predict preferential binding orientation of semustine with DNA that corroborates well with spectral outcomes. Results based on comparative study of DNA-binding properties of semustine and lomustine, presented here, may establish a correlation between molecular structure and cytotoxicity of chloroethyl nitrosoureas that may be instrumental in the designing and synthesis of new nitrosourea therapeutics possessing better efficacy and fewer side effects.