Estudos eletroquímicos do 2-[p-nitrofenil (hidroxi) metil] acrilato de metila: um fármaco antitumoral e sua reatividade frente a GSH, dsDNA e oxigênio

Abstract

The present work presents electrochemical studies of Baylis-Hillman adducts, that show significant anti-tumoral activity. Electrochemical techniques used were Cyclic Voltammetry, Differential Pulse Voltammetry, Square Wave Voltammetry and Controlled Potential Electrolysis. The reduction behaviour of methyl 2-[p-nitrophenyl(hydroxy) methyl] acrylate (2) in aprotic medium (DMF + TBAP, 0.1 mol L-1) was typical of nitroaromatics, with three reduction waves, the first two related to the reduction of the nitro function. The third wave refers to the reduction of the acrylate group, similarly to the observed behavior of the pattern compound, the 2-[phenyl(hydroxy)methyl] acrylate (1). In protic medium (phosphate buffer, pH 6.9), compound 2 shows one reduction wave related to the generation of the derived hydroxylamine. In alkaline buffer (EtOH + phosphate, DMF + phosphate or EtOH + bicarbonate + NaOH, pH ~9), the electron transfer led to the formation of the stable nitro radical anion. Controlled potential electrolysis, in neutral protic medium, in 4 e-/4H+ process, furnished a dimer, after the nitro group reduction. Electrochemical studies performed on a dsDNA biosensor suggest that one of the targets for the biological action of 2 is the DNA. The DNA damage, verified by the presence of the oxidation peaks of the nucleobases guanine and adenine, is observed only, after the nitro group reduction (pharmacophore) to reactive intermediates, which reinforce the importance of the bioreduction for the biological action. The electrochemical and spectrophotometric studies, in the presence of GSH and GSSG, revealed that the reduction products of the nitro group interact with the endobiotics, in a different way. For phosphate + NaOH, pH 9.4, the addition of GSH to the solution of 2, led to the increase of current intensity for the first reduction wave that turns irreversible. The second reduction wave, relative to the hydroxylamine production, is no more observed in the voltammogram. Due to the acid nature of GSH, together with the inefficient buffering effect of the medium, glutathione acts as a protons donor, leading to a stable nitroso derivative. On the other hand, in bicarbonate + NaOH buffer, the pH is kept and glutathione is present in its dissociated form. Voltammetric changes are minimum, with a slight increase in the reversibility of the process concerning formation of nitro anion radical. At more negative potentials, the wave related to the production of hydroxylamine disappears, showing that GSH interacts with products of posterior reduction of the nitro group. The possible catalysis in the presence of O2 was not evidenced. These electrochemical results help in the understanding of the anticancer activity of 2 that can be considered a hypoxia targeted bioreductive agent with a glutathione depleting function