Methyl Benzoate Gallium(III) corrole complexes: DNA‐binding, Photocleavage Activity, Cytotoxicity on Tumor Cells

Two new gallium corrole complexes, 10-(4-Methoxycarbonylphenyl) -5, 15-bis(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatogallium(III)(1-Ga) and 5,15-bis(4-Methoxycarbonylphenyl)-10-(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatogallium(III)(2-Ga), were synthesized and characterized. The interaction of these gallium corrole complexes with CT-DNA was studied by fluorescence methods, UV–visible, viscosity measurements, molecular docking as well as agarose gel electrophoresis. The results revealed that both 1-Ga and 2-Ga interact with DNA via major groove binding and could cleavage the supercoiled plasmid DNA efficiently under irradiation. The inhibitor and singlet oxygen test indicated that singlet oxygen was the reactive oxygen species involved in the photocleavage DNA initiated by 1-Ga or 2-Ga. Cell viability experiments indicated that 1-Ga and 2-Ga show high photocytotoxicity and low dark toxicity towards tested QGY-7701 and MHCC-H/L tumor cell lines. Fluorescence probe tests showed the absorbed 1-Ga and 2-Ga in tumor cells are mainly localized in mitochondria, and the mitochondria membrane potential disruption was observed after irradiation.