Different effects of nonintercalative antitumor drugs on DNA triple helix stability: SN-18071 promotes triple helix formation.

The interaction of the nonintercalating bisquaternary ammonium heterocyclic drugs SN-18071 and SN-6999 with a DNA triple helix has been studied using thermal denaturation and CD spectroscopy. Our data show, that both minor groove binders can bind to the triple helix of poly(dA).2poly(dT) under comparable ionic conditions, but they influence the stability of the triplex relative to the duplex structure of poly(dA).poly(dT) in a different manner. SN-18071, a ligand devoid of forming hydrogen bonds, can promote triplex formation and thermally stabilizes it up to 500 mM Na+ concentration. SN-6999 destabilizes the triplex to duplex equibilirium whereas it stabilizes the duplex. The binding constant of SN-18071 is found to be greater than that to the duplex. The stabilizing effect of SN-18071 is explained by electrostatic interactions of three ligand molecules with the three grooves of the triple stranded structure. From the experiments it is concluded that SN-6999 binds to the triplex minor groove thereby destabilizing the triplex similar as previously reported for netropsin.