Fullerenes in radiobiology

Molecule of fullerene, having a spherical or ellipsoidal shape, is made of rings consisting of five or six carbon atoms, combined with conjugated pi bonds. Delocalization of pi electrons in the molecule of fullerene makes it easy to scavenge free radicals. But, despite being the effective antioxidants and radical scavengers fullerenes may be prooxidants by reactive oxygen species generation. Mammalian cells consist mainly of water (about 70%). Thus, the radical and non-radical products of water radiolysis are the basic sources of radiation damage to biomolecules. Reactive oxygen species, such as hydroxyl (HO*) and superoxide (O2-*) radicals and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), are responsible for radiation-induced damage in aerated systems. Free radical mechanism of radiation damage suggests that scavengers of free radicals should protect cellular structures against damage. Electron donor compounds should also exhibit protective properties towards oxidized functional groups by reducing them. However, the electron transfer from fullerene to oxygen may generate superoxide radical. The shape of fullerenes allows them to act as carriers of radioactive atoms of isotopes used in the therapy and medical diagnostics. Fullerenes and their derivatives due to its properties are new promising chemicals for application in radiobiology. Fullerenes may be radioprotectors, radiosensitizer or auxiliary compounds in diagnostic imaging. What they are depends on the experimental system used.     

Antiamyloid properties of fullerene C60 derivatives

A comparative estimation of the ability of complexes of fullerene C60 with polyvinylpyrrolidone and fullerene C60 derivatives (the sodium salt of the polycarboxylic derivative of fullerene C60, sodium fullerenolate), has been carried out. The fullerenes destroyed amyloid fibrils of the Abeta(1-42) peptide of the brain and the muscle X-protein. A study of the effect of fullerenes on muscle actin showed that complexes of fullerene C60 with polyvinylpyrrolidone and sodium fullerenolate did not prevent the filament formation of actin, nor did they destroy its filaments in vitro. Conversely, sodium salt of the polycarboxylic derivative of fullerene C60 destroyed actin filaments and prevented their formation. It was concluded that sodium fullerenolate and complexes of fullerene C60 with polyvinylpyrrolidone are the most effective antiamyloid compounds among the fullerenes examined.     

Possibility of biocompatibility of fullerene C60 with oligopeptides using a comparative analysis of their spatial form

It was proposed to elucidate the mechanism of unique biological biocompatibility of carbon materials used for making endoprostheses for medicinal practice. For this purpose, a method of comparing the geometry of individual globular and fibrillar proteins and carbon structures (fullerenes) was advanced, and a comparative analysis of the spatial structure of fullerene C60 and the amino acid sequences of 286 proteins was made. Based on a high degree of similarity in the positions of atoms of the polypeptide chains of proteins and peptides and the corresponding atoms of fullerene and of other structural parameters revealed by the comparison of the spatial structures using mathematical simulation, the phenomenon of biological compatibility was interpreted as an "insertion" of fullerenes into the structure of protein molecules in place of structurally similar amino acid sequences, i.e., as a "prosthetics" at the molecular level. It is proposed that fullerenes can "simulate" structurally similar short peptides in biological processes. It was shown that noncarbon biogenic atoms play a large role in the formation of specific structure of protein molecules.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of structural instability of fullerene family under tension force

Fullerene molecules are cage-like nanoscopic structures with pentagonal and hexagonal faces. In practical applications such as fullerene-reinforced nanocomposites (FRNCs), these structures may be subjected to tension force. In this research, we employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to compute the behaviour and deformation of different fullerene molecules, ranging from C₆₀ to C₂₀₀₀, under tension force. To model the interactions between carbon atoms in the MD simulations, the adaptive intermolecular reactive bond order (AIREBO) force field is used. The displacement–force and the displacement–strain energy curves are obtained. It is observed that a new type of structural instability occurs in the fullerene molecules when the applied tension force increases. This abnormal structural instability in the fullerenes is investigated for the first time in the literature. The critical tensile forces and the corresponding mode shapes are determined for different fullerenes. The results indicate that the critical forces and deformations strongly depend upon the number of carbon atoms.     

Antiamyloid properties of fullerene C<Subscript>60</Subscript> derivatives

A comparative estimation of the ability of complexes of fullerene C₆₀ with polyvinylpyrrolidone and fullerene C₆₀ derivatives (the sodium salt of the polycarboxylic derivative of fullerene C₆₀, sodium fullerenolate), has been carried out. The fullerenes destroyed amyloid fibrils of the Aβ(1–42) peptide of the brain and the muscle X-protein. A study of the effect of fullerenes on muscle actin showed that complexes of fullerene C₆₀ with polyvinylpyrrolidone and sodium fullerenolate did not prevent the filament formation of actin, nor did they destroy its filaments in vitro. Conversely, sodium salt of the polycarboxylic derivative of fullerene C₆₀ destroyed actin filaments and prevented their formation. It was concluded that sodium fullerenolate and complexes of fullerene C₆₀ with polyvinylpyrrolidone are the most effective antiamyloid compounds among the fullerenes examined.     

Interaction of c(60)-fullerene and carboxyfullerene with proteins: docking and binding site alignment

The unique properties of fullerenes have raised the interest of using them for biomedical applications. Within this framework, the interactions of fullerenes with proteins have been an exciting research target, yet little is known about how native proteins can bind fullerenes, and what is the nature of these interactions. Moreover, though some proteins have been shown to interact with fullerenes, up to date, no crystal structure of such complexes was obtained. Here we report docking studies aimed at examining the interactions of fullerene in two forms (C60 nonsubstituted fullerene and carboxyfullerene) with four proteins that are known to bind fullerene derivatives: HIV protease, fullerene-specific antibody, human serum albumin, and bovine serum albumin. Our work provides docking models with detailed binding pockets information, which closely match available experimental data. We further compare the predicted binding sites using a novel multiple binding site alignment method. A high similarity between the physicochemical properties and surface geometry was found for fullerene's binding sites of HIV protease and the human and bovine serum albumins.     

Interactions of calcium with the external surfaces of fullerenes and endofullerenes doped with radioactive sodium iodide

We report first-principles calculations carried out to analyze the adsorption of calcium on the outer surface of the fullerene C₆₀, yielding [C₆₀?+?mCa]. Geometric optimization (GO) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation were performed using the plane-wave pseudopotential method within the framework of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) to investigate the configurations, the associated energies in the ground state, and the stabilities of fullerenes and endofullerenes doped with radioactive sodium iodide when they interact with calcium atoms on the outer fullerene surface (i.e., [nNa¹³¹I@C₆₀?+?mCa]). The reason for investigating these calcium-functionalized (endo)fullerene systems was to gauge their potential stability when used as vectors to deliver radioiodine to cancerous tissue in the human body. In the simulations, we found that the geometric limit on the number of calcium atoms that can be physisorbed on the outer surface of an empty fullerene while maintaining its structural stability is 28 calcium atoms, which also takes into account the proportional expansion of the fullerene as the number of absorbed calcium atoms increases. However, the stability of a fullerene system during calcium adsorption also strongly depends on whether any atoms or molecules are being encapsulated by the fullerene, as these encapsulated atoms/molecules can also interact with the fullerene and influence its stability. A Mulliken electronegativity analysis revealed that, when atoms inside and/or outside the fullerene donate charge (electrons) to the fullerene, the fullerene expands. The excess charge on the carbon atoms of the fullerene weakens some of the carbon–carbon bonds, potentially causing them to break, in which case the fullerene loses its ability to encapsulate molecules and releases them.

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Graphical Abstract DFT simulation of a endo fullerene doped with radioactive sodium iodide interacting with 28 calcium atoms in a geometric arrangement

     

Medicinal applications of fullerenes

Fullerenes have attracted considerable attention in different fields of science since their discovery in 1985. Investigations of physical, chemical and biological properties of fullerenes have yielded promising information. It is inferred that size, hydrophobicity, three-dimensionality and electronic configurations make them an appealing subject in medicinal chemistry. Their unique carbon cage structure coupled with immense scope for derivatization make them a potential therapeutic agent. The study of biological applications has attracted increasing attention despite the low solubility of carbon spheres in physiological media. The fullerene family, and especially C60, has appealing photo, electrochemical and physical properties, which can be exploited in various medical fields. Fullerene is able to fit inside the hydrophobic cavity of HIV proteases, inhibiting the access of substrates to the catalytic site of enzyme. It can be used as radical scavenger and antioxidant. At the same time, if exposed to light, fullerene can produce singlet oxygen in high quantum yields. This action, together with direct electron transfer from excited state of fullerene and DNA bases, can be used to cleave DNA. In addition, fullerenes have been used as a carrier for gene and drug delivery systems. Also they are used for serum protein profiling as MELDI material for biomarker discovery. In this review we report the aspects of medicinal applications of fullerenes.     

Anti-Influenza Activity of C60 Fullerene Derivatives

The H1N1 influenza A virus, which originated in swine, caused a global pandemic in 2009, and the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has also caused epidemics in Southeast Asia in recent years. Thus, the threat from influenza A remains a serious global health issue, and novel drugs that target these viruses are highly desirable. Influenza A RNA polymerase consists of the PA, PB1, and PB2 subunits, and the N-terminal domain of the PA subunit demonstrates endonuclease activity. Fullerene (C₆₀) is a unique carbon molecule that forms a sphere. To identify potential new anti-influenza compounds, we screened 12 fullerene derivatives using an in vitro PA endonuclease inhibition assay. We identified 8 fullerene derivatives that inhibited the endonuclease activity of the PA N-terminal domain or full-length PA protein in vitro. We also performed in silico docking simulation analysis of the C₆₀ fullerene and PA endonuclease, which suggested that fullerenes can bind to the active pocket of PA endonuclease. In a cell culture system, we found that several fullerene derivatives inhibit influenza A viral infection and the expression of influenza A nucleoprotein and nonstructural protein 1. These results indicate that fullerene derivatives are possible candidates for the development of novel anti-influenza drugs.     

Computational studies of the binding mechanisms of fullerenes to human serum albumin

Fullerene and its derivatives show promising prospects for applications in a vast array of biological systems. A key aspect concerning their biomedical applications is how they interact with proteins from molecular levels, which is still poorly understood. In the current study, we investigated the structural and thermodynamic basis of the interactions between two pharmacologically relevant fullerene derivatives and human serum albumin (HSA) using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy calculations. Our results demonstrate that fullerenes steadily bind with HSA at the interfacial cavity formed by subdomains IIA and IIIA. In agreement with available experimental data, our simulations show that the global structure of HSA becomes more compact in the presence of fullerene, while local structural dynamics of the binding cavity behaves diversely depending on the chemical properties of bound fullerenes. Binding free energy calculations confirmed that the interactions between fullerenes and HSA are dominantly stabilized by van der Waals forces and they further allowed the identification of key residues involved in fullerene binding. The structural and energetic insights obtained from this work may help for the development of fullerene-based drug delivery devices and therapeutic agents with improved biological profile.     

Growth and Potential Damage of Human Bone-Derived Cells Cultured on Fresh and Aged C60/Ti Films

Thin films of binary C₆₀/Ti composites, with various concentrations of Ti ranging from ~ 25% to ~ 70%, were deposited on microscopic glass coverslips and were tested for their potential use in bone tissue engineering as substrates for the adhesion and growth of bone cells. The novelty of this approach lies in the combination of Ti atoms (i.e., widely used biocompatible material for the construction of stomatological and orthopedic implants) with atoms of fullerene C₆₀, which can act as very efficient radical scavengers. However, fullerenes and their derivatives are able to generate harmful reactive oxygen species and to have cytotoxic effects. In order to stabilize C₆₀ molecules and to prevent their possible cytotoxic effects, deposition in the compact form of Ti/C₆₀ composites (with various Ti concentrations) was chosen. The reactivity of C₆₀/Ti composites may change in time due to the physicochemical changes of molecules in an air atmosphere. In this study, we therefore tested the dependence between the age of C₆₀/Ti films (from one week to one year) and the adhesion, morphology, proliferation, viability, metabolic activity and potential DNA damage to human osteosarcoma cells (lines MG-63 and U-2 OS). After 7 days of cultivation, we did not observe any negative influence of fresh or aged C₆₀/Ti layers on cell behavior, including the DNA damage response. The presence of Ti atoms resulted in improved properties of the C₆₀ layers, which became more suitable for cell cultivation.     

Functionalized fullerenes mediate photodynamic killing of cancer cells: Type I versus Type II photochemical mechanism

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) employs the combination of nontoxic photosensitizers (PS) and harmless visible light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and kill cells. Most clinically studied PS are based on the tetrapyrrole structure of porphyrins, chlorines, and related molecules, but new nontetrapyrrole PS are being sought. Fullerenes are soccer-ball shaped molecules composed of 60 or 70 carbon atoms and have attracted interest in connection with the search for biomedical applications of nanotechnology. Fullerenes are biologically inert unless derivatized with functional groups, whereupon they become soluble and can act as PS. We have compared the photodynamic activity of six functionalized fullerenes with 1, 2, or 3 hydrophilic or 1, 2, or 3 cationic groups. The octanol-water partition coefficients were determined and the relative contributions of Type I photochemistry (photogeneration of superoxide in the presence of NADH) and Type II photochemistry (photogeneration of singlet oxygen) were studied by measurement of oxygen consumption, 1270-nm luminescence and EPR spin trapping of the superoxide product. We studied three mouse cancer cell lines: (J774, LLC, and CT26) incubated for 24 h with fullerenes and illuminated with white light. The order of effectiveness as PS was inversely proportional to the degree of substitution of the fullerene nucleus for both the neutral and the cationic series. The monopyrrolidinium fullerene was the most active PS against all cell lines and induced apoptosis 4-6 h after illumination. It produced diffuse intracellular fluorescence when dichlorodihydrofluorescein was added as an ROS probe, suggesting a Type I mechanism for phototoxicity. We conclude that certain functionalized fullerenes have potential as novel PDT agents and phototoxicity may be mediated both by superoxide and by singlet oxygen.     

Hybrid nanoparticles based on organized protein immobilization on fullerenes

Nanoscale carbon materials (i.e., fullerenes and nanotubes) are an attractive platform for applications in biotransformations and biosensors. The interesting properties displayed by nanoparticles demand new strategies for the manipulation of these materials on the nanoscale. Controlled modification of their surface with biomolecules is required to fully realize their potential in bionanotechnology. In this work, immobilization of a fullerene derivative with a mutant subtilisin is demonstrated, and the effect of the fullerene on the protein activity is determined. The fullerene-conjugated enzyme had improved catalytic properties in comparison to subtilisin immobilized on nonporous silica. Further, the pH profile of free and fullerene-conjugated subtilisin were almost identical.     

Polymerization of miniature fullerenes in the cavity of nanotubes

The polymerization of four fullerenes C₂₈ in the cavity of closed single-walled carbon nanotube C₇₄₀ was investigated. It was shown that the formation of the oligomer of four C₂₈ fullerenes is observed at the pressure of 37.73 GPa, which is created by means of the charged fullerene C₆₀. Fullerene C₆₀ moves under the influence of an external electric field.     

Photophysical properties of non-homoconjugated 1,2-dihydro, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro and 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydro-C60 derivatives.

The photophysical properties of a novel series of non-homoconjugated 1,2-di-, 1,2,3,4-tetra-, and 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexasubstituted fullerenes (compounds 1, 2, and 3, respectively) have been systematically investigated. In this report, we examine the effect of substitution pattern of non-homoconjugated derivatized fullerenes on the ground state UV-Vis absorption, triplet state properties (lifetime, quantum yield, extinction coefficient), and singlet oxygen quantum yield. The non-homoconjugated fullerene derivatives 1-3 exhibit higher singlet oxygen quantum yield than analogous homoconjugated Bingel adducts with the same number of saturated C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bonds and exhibit decreasing quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation upon increasing the degree of functionalization on a single six member ring on the fullerene cage. This trend is similar for triplet quantum yield and triplet lifetime. The triplet extinction coefficient increases with functionalization. A detailed discussion comparing 1, 2, and 3 with functionalized homoconjugated systems and with other non-homoconjugated derivatives is presented.     

Generation of long-lived radical ions through enhanced photoinduced electron transfer processes between [60]fullerene and phenothiazine derivatives.

Photoinduced electron transfer processes between fullerenes (C60) and four phenothiazine derivatives (PTZs) in the absence and presence of hexylviologen dication (HV2+) have been studied by the transient absorption method in the visible and near-IR regions. Electron-transfer takes place from PTZs to the triplet states of fullerenes (3C60*) giving the radical anion of fullerenes (C60.-) and the radical cations of PTZs (PTZ.+). The rate constants and efficiencies of electron transfer are quite high, because of the high electron-donor abilities of PTZs as elucidated by their low oxidation potentials. On addition of HV2+ to the C60 and PTZ systems, the electron-mediating process occurs from C60.- to HV2+, yielding the viologen radical cation (HV.+). In the presence of a sacrificial donor, HV.+ persisted for a long time.     

Simulated dynamics of Ne@C60 aggregates beyond dissociation

Molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations are utilized to better understand the dynamics of small (N = 5) endohedral Ne@C₆₀ aggregates. Multiple runs at various temperatures are used to increase the reliability of our statistics. The aggregate holds together until somewhere between T = 1150 and 1200 K, where it dissociates, showing no intermediate sign of melting or fullerene disintegration. When the temperature is increased to around T = 4000 K, the encapsulated neon atoms begin to leave the aggregate, with the fullerene molecules still remaining intact. At temperatures near T = 4400 K, thermal disintegration of the fullerenes preempts the aggregate dissociation. Above this temperature neon atoms are more quickly released and the fullerenes form a larger connected structure, with bonding taking place in atom pairs from different original fullerene molecules. Escape constants and half lives are calculated for the temperature range 4000 K ≤ T ≤ 5000 K. The agreements and disagreements of results of this work with experiments suggest that classical MD simulations are useful in describing fullerene systems at low temperatures and near disintegration, but require development of new techniques before it is possible to accurately model windowing at temperatures below T = 3000 K.     

Fullerene nanomaterials inhibit the allergic response

Fullerenes are a class of novel carbon allotropes that may have practical applications in biotechnology and medicine. Human mast cells (MC) and peripheral blood basophils are critical cells involved in the initiation and propagation of several inflammatory conditions, mainly type I hypersensitivity. We report an unanticipated role of fullerenes as a negative regulator of allergic mediator release that suppresses Ag-driven type I hypersensitivity. Human MC and peripheral blood basophils exhibited a significant inhibition of IgE dependent mediator release when preincubated with C(60) fullerenes. Protein microarray demonstrated that inhibition of mediator release involves profound reductions in the activation of signaling molecules involved in mediator release and oxidative stress. Follow-up studies demonstrated that the tyrosine phosphorylation of Syk was dramatically inhibited in Ag-challenged cells first incubated with fullerenes. In addition, fullerene preincubation significantly inhibited IgE-induced elevation in cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species levels. Furthermore, fullerenes prevented the in vivo release of histamine and drop in core body temperature in vivo using a MC-dependent model of anaphylaxis. These findings identify a new biological function for fullerenes and may represent a novel way to control MC-dependent diseases including asthma, inflammatory arthritis, heart disease, and multiple sclerosis.     

Inhibition of Inflammatory Arthritis Using Fullerene Nanomaterials

Inflammatory arthritis (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis; RA) is a complex disease driven by the interplay of multiple cellular lineages. Fullerene derivatives have previously been shown to have anti-inflammatory capabilities mediated, in part, by their ability to prevent inflammatory mediator release by mast cells (MC). Recognizing that MC can serve as a cellular link between autoantibodies, soluble mediators, and other effector populations in inflammatory arthritis, it was hypothesized that fullerene derivatives might be used to target this inflammatory disease. A panel of fullerene derivatives was tested for their ability to affect the function of human skin-derived MC as well as other lineages implicated in arthritis, synovial fibroblasts and osteoclasts. It is shown that certain fullerene derivatives blocked FcγR- and TNF-α-induced mediator release from MC; TNF-α-induced mediator release from RA synovial fibroblasts; and maturation of human osteoclasts. MC inhibition by fullerene derivatives was mediated through the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and FcγR-mediated increases in cellular reactive oxygen species and NF-κB activation. Based on these in vitro data, two fullerene derivatives (ALM and TGA) were selected for in vivo studies using K/BxN serum transfer arthritis in C57BL/6 mice and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1 mice. Dye-conjugated fullerenes confirmed localization to affected joints in arthritic animals but not in healthy controls. In the K/BxN moldel, fullerenes attenuated arthritis, an effect accompanied by reduced histologic inflammation, cartilage/bone erosion, and serum levels of TNF-α. Fullerenes remained capable of attenuating K/BxN arthritis in mast cell-deficient mice Cre-Master mice, suggesting that lineages beyond the MC represent relevant targets in this system. These studies suggest that fullerene derivatives may hold promise both as an assessment tool and as anti-inflammatory therapy of arthritis.     

A geometric principle may guide self-assembly of fullerene cages from clathrin triskelia and from carbon atoms

Clathrin triskelia and carbon atoms alike self-assemble into a limited selection of fullerene cages (with n three connected vertices, 3n/2 edges, 12 pentagonal faces, and (n−20)/2 hexagonal faces). We show that a geometric constraint—exclusion of head-to-tail dihedral angle discrepancies (DADs)—explains this limited selection as well as successful assembly into such closed cages in the first place. An edge running from a pentagon to a hexagon has a DAD, since the dihedral angles about the edge broaden from its pentagon (tail) end to its hexagon (head) end. Of the 21 configurations of a central face and surrounding faces, six have such DAD vectors arranged head-to-tail. Of the 5770 mathematically possible fullerene cages for n ≤ 60, excluding those with any of the six configurations leaves just 15 cages plus buckminsterfullerene (n = 60), among them the known clathrin cages. Of the 216,739 mathematically possible cages for 60 < n ≤ 84, just the 50 that obey the isolated-pentagon rule, among them known carbon cages, pass. The absence of likely fullerenes for some n (30,34,46,48,52-58,62-68) explains the abundance of certain cages, including buckminsterfullerene. These principles also suggest a “probable roads” path to self-assembly in place of pentagon-road and fullerene-road hypotheses.