Electrochemical, Spectroscopic and Molecular Docking Studies of Anticancer Organogermalactones

Cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis spectroscopic and molecular docking methods have been used to predict the effect of biologically potent compounds on the DNA proliferation under physiological conditions (pH 7.4 and 4.7). The interaction of organogermanium compounds namely β-o-flourophenyl-γ-bis (8-quinolinoxy) germa-γ-lactone (GLf) and β-methyl-γ-bis (8-quinolinoxy) germa-γ-lactone (GLm) with DNA was investigated at human body temperature. The diffusion coefficients and heterogeneous electron transfer rate constants have been calculated and discussed. The comparison of the voltammetric signals of GLf and GLm revealed that the reduction potential of the reducing moiety, lactone can be modulated by changing the electronic properties of the attached substituents. For the investigation of the DNA binding affinity of germa-γ-lactones, the formation constants were calculated from the decrease in peak current and increase in absorbance. The experimental results were supported by molecular docking study. The current study is expected to provide useful insights into the design of anticancer drugs and understanding the mechanism by which such drugs interact with DNA and exert their biochemical action.