TPEN

TPEN is a specific cell-permeable heavy metal chelator.

In Vitro:Heavy metal chelator TPEN attenuates fura-2 fluorescence changes induced by cadmium, mercury and methylmercury. TPEN, a cell-permeable chelator for heavy metal cations with a low affinity for Ca2+. In cells stimulated with 10 or 30 μM cadmium chloride, the addition of TPEN at 3 hr after exposure significantly decreases the elevated fura-2 fluorescence ratio to the basal levels within 10 min (119.6±2.4% or 109±1.5% decrease in ΔRatio (F340/F380) induced by 10 or 30 μM cadmium chloride, respectively), suggesting that a cadmium chloride-induced increase in the fura-2 fluorescence ratio is dependent on an increase in intracellular heavy metal cations but not intracellular Ca2+[1]. TPEN is a metal chelator, which targets colon cancer cells through redox cycling of copper. TPEN reduces cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TPEN-induced cell death is also dependent on the redox cycling of copper since the copper chelator neocuproine inhibited DNA damage and reduced pChk1, γ-H2AX, and ATM protein expression. Cell death by low TPEN concentrations, involved ATM/ATR signaling in all 3 cell lines, since pre-incubation with specific inhibitors of ATM and DNA-PK led to the recovery of cells from TPEN-induced DNA damage[2].

References:
[1]. Ohkubo M, et al. Heavy metal chelator TPEN attenuates fura-2 fluorescence changes induced by cadmium, mercury and methylmercury. J Vet Med Sci. 2016 Jun 1;78(5):761-7. [2]. Rahal ON, et al. Chk1 and DNA-PK mediate TPEN-induced DNA damage in a ROS dependent manner in human colon cancer cells. Cancer Biol Ther. 2016 Nov;17(11):1139-1148.

Chk1 and DNA-PK mediate TPEN-induced DNA damage in a ROS dependent manner in human colon cancer cells.[Pubmed:27690730]

Cancer Biol Ther. 2016 Nov;17(11):1139-1148.

Recently, we showed that the metal chelator TPEN targets colon cancer cells through redox cycling of copper. Here, we studied the DNA damage potential of TPEN and deciphered the role of Chk1, ATM and DNA-PK in TPEN-induced toxicity in 3 human colon cancer cell lines, HCT116, SW480 and HT29. We also investigated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in TPEN-induced DNA damage. TPEN reduced cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity was associated with significant DNA damage and higher expression of gamma-H2AX protein and activation of ATM/ATR signaling pathway. Cell death by TPEN was dependent on ROS generation as evidenced by the reversal of cell viability, and DNA damage and the abrogation of gamma-H2AX levels in the presence of antioxidants. Treatment with antioxidants, however, failed to reverse cytotoxicity at high TPEN concentrations (10microM). TPEN-induced cell death was also dependent on the redox cycling of copper since the copper chelator neocuproine inhibited DNA damage and reduced pChk1, gamma-H2AX, and ATM protein expression. Cell death by low TPEN concentrations, involved ATM/ATR signaling in all 3 cell lines, since pre-incubation with specific inhibitors of ATM and DNA-PK led to the recovery of cells from TPEN-induced DNA damage. In addition, siRNA silencing of Chk1, DNA-PK and ATM abrogated the expression of gamma-H2AX and reversed cell death, suggesting that Chk1 and DNA-PK mediate TPEN-induced cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells. This study shows for the first time the involvement of Chk1, DNA-PK and ATM in TPEN-induced DNA damage and confirms our previous findings that ROS generation and the redox cycling of copper in response to TPEN are the main mechanisms by which this compound induces cell death in human colon cancer cells. Inhibition of ATM or DNA-PK did not reverse cytotoxicity at high TPEN concentrations that cause excessive levels of ROS and irreversible cellular damage.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted liposomes specifically deliver the Zn(2+) chelator TPEN inducing oxidative stress in prostate cancer cells.[Pubmed:27077564]

Nanomedicine (Lond). 2016 May;11(10):1207-22.

AIM: To evaluate the potential use of zinc chelation for prostate cancer therapy using a new liposomal formulation of the zinc chelator, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine (TPEN). MATERIALS & METHODS: TPEN was encapsulated in nontargeted liposomes or liposomes displaying an aptamer to target prostate cancer cells overexpression prostate-specific membrane antigen. The prostate cancer selectivity and therapeutic efficacy of liposomal (targeted and nontargeted) and free TPEN were evaluated in vitro and in tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: TPEN chelates zinc and results in reactive oxygen species imbalance leading to cell death. Delivery of TPEN using aptamer-targeted liposomes results in specific delivery to targeted cells. In vivo experiments show that TPEN-loaded, aptamer-targeted liposomes reduce tumor growth in a human prostate cancer xenograft model.

TPEN, a Specific Zn(2+) Chelator, Inhibits Sodium Dithionite and Glucose Deprivation (SDGD)-Induced Neuronal Death by Modulating Apoptosis, Glutamate Signaling, and Voltage-Gated K(+) and Na(+) Channels.[Pubmed:26983717]

Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2017 Mar;37(2):235-250.

Hypoxia-ischemia-induced neuronal death is an important pathophysiological process that accompanies ischemic stroke and represents a major challenge in preventing ischemic stroke. To elucidate factors related to and a potential preventative mechanism of hypoxia-ischemia-induced neuronal death, primary neurons were exposed to sodium dithionite and glucose deprivation (SDGD) to mimic hypoxic-ischemic conditions. The effects of N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN), a specific Zn(2+)-chelating agent, on SDGD-induced neuronal death, glutamate signaling (including the free glutamate concentration and expression of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptor (GluR2) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits (NR2B), and voltage-dependent K(+) and Na(+) channel currents were also investigated. Our results demonstrated that TPEN significantly suppressed increases in cell death, apoptosis, neuronal glutamate release into the culture medium, NR2B protein expression, and I K as well as decreased GluR2 protein expression and Na(+) channel activity in primary cultured neurons exposed to SDGD. These results suggest that TPEN could inhibit SDGD-induced neuronal death by modulating apoptosis, glutamate signaling (via ligand-gated channels such as AMPA and NMDA receptors), and voltage-gated K(+) and Na(+) channels in neurons. Hence, Zn(2+) chelation might be a promising approach for counteracting the neuronal loss caused by transient global ischemia. Moreover, TPEN could represent a potential cell-targeted therapy.

Heavy metal chelator TPEN attenuates fura-2 fluorescence changes induced by cadmium, mercury and methylmercury.[Pubmed:26781706]

J Vet Med Sci. 2016 Jun 1;78(5):761-7.

Stimulation with heavy metals is known to induce calcium (Ca(2+)) mobilization in many cell types. Interference with the measurement of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration by the heavy metals in cells loaded with Ca(2+) indicator fura-2 is an ongoing problem. In this study, we analyzed the effect of heavy metals on the fura-2 fluorescence ratio in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by using TPEN, a specific cell-permeable heavy metal chelator. Manganese chloride (30-300 microM) did not cause significant changes in the fura-2 fluorescence ratio. A high concentration (300 microM) of lead acetate induced a slight elevation in the fura-2 fluorescence ratio. In contrast, stimulation with cadmium chloride, mercury chloride or MeHg (3-30 microM) elicited an apparent elevation of the fura-2 fluorescence ratio in a dose-dependent manner. In cells stimulated with 10 or 30 microM cadmium chloride, the addition of TPEN decreased the elevated fura-2 fluorescence ratio to basal levels. In cells stimulated with mercury or MeHg, the addition of TPEN significantly decreased the elevation of the fura-2 fluorescence ratio induced by lower concentrations (10 microM) of mercury or MeHg, but not by higher concentrations (30 microM). Pretreatment with Ca(2+) channel blockers, such as verapamil, 2-APB or lanthanum chloride, resulted in different effects on the fura-2 fluorescence ratio. Our study provides a characterization of the effects of several heavy metals on the mobilization of divalent cations and the toxicity of heavy metals to neuronal cells.

Validation of TPEN as a zinc chelator in fluorescence probing of calcium in cells with the indicator Fura-2.[Pubmed:19821015]

J Fluoresc. 2010 Jan;20(1):377-80.

Fura-2 is widely used as a fluorescent probe to monitor dynamic changes in cytosolic free calcium in cells, where Ca(2+) can enter through several types of voltage-operated or ligand-gated channels. However, Fura-2 is also sensitive to other metal ions, such as zinc, which may be involved in ionic channels and receptors. There is interest, in particular, in studying the synapses between mossy fibers and CA3 pyramidal cells which contain both calcium and high quantities of free or loosely bound zinc. We have found, through fluorescence probing, that endogenous zinc inhibits mossy fiber calcium transients. However, since these results might be explained by an effect of the zinc chelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) on the spectral properties of Fura-2, we have carried out a validation of the method through fluorescence excitation spectra of the complex Fura-2/calcium, and show that TPEN does not affect these spectra. This supports the idea that the observed calcium enhancement is related to a zinc inhibition of presynaptic calcium mechanisms, and confirms the use of the chelator TPEN as a general procedure for the biophysical study of Ca(II) in the presence of Zn(II) using Fura-2.

Zinc binding ligands and cellular zinc trafficking: apo-metallothionein, glutathione, TPEN, proteomic zinc, and Zn-Sp1.[Pubmed:18171589]

J Inorg Biochem. 2008 Mar;102(3):489-99.

Many cell types contain metal-ion unsaturated metallothionein (MT). Considering the Zn(2+) binding affinity of metallothionein, the existence of this species in the intracellular environment constitutes a substantial "thermodynamic sink". Indeed, the mM concentration of glutathione may be thought of in the same way. In order to understand how apo-MT and the rest of the Zn-proteome manage to co-exist, experiments examined the in vitro reactivity of Zn-proteome with apo-MT, glutathione (GSH), and a series of common Zn(2+) chelating agents including N,N,N',N'-(2-pyridylethyl)ethylenediammine (TPEN), EDTA, and [(2,2'-oxyproplylene-dinitrilo]tetraacetic acid (EGTA). Less than 10% of Zn-proteome from U87mg cells reacted with apo-MT or GSH. In contrast, each of the synthetic chelators was 2-3 times more reactive. TPEN, a cell permeant reagent, also reacted rapidly with both Zn-proteome and Zn-MT in LLC-PK(1) cells. Taking a specific zinc finger protein for further study, apo-MT, GSH, and TPEN inhibited the binding of Zn(3)-Sp1 with its cognate DNA site (GC-1) in the sodium-glucose co-transporter promoter of mouse kidney. In contrast, preformation of Zn(3)-Sp1-(GC-1) prevented reaction with apo-MT and GSH; TPEN remained active but at a higher concentration. Whereas, Zn(3)-Sp1 is active in cells containing apo-MT and GSH, exposure of LLC-PK(1) cells to TPEN for 24h largely inactivated its DNA binding activity. The results help to rationalize the steady state presence of cellular apo-MT in the midst of the many, diverse members of the Zn-proteome. They also show that TPEN is a robust intracellular chelator of proteomic Zn(2+).

Role of cellular zinc in programmed cell death: temporal relationship between zinc depletion, activation of caspases, and cleavage of Sp family transcription factors.[Pubmed:11377396]

Biochem Pharmacol. 2001 Jul 1;62(1):51-62.

Zinc is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis, whereas zinc depletion induces apoptosis in many cell lines. To investigate the mechanisms of zinc depletion-induced apoptosis, HeLa cells were treated with the membrane permeable metal ion chelator, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN). TPEN decreased the intracellular level of zinc and induced apoptosis with a characteristic cellular pattern, i.e. cell shrinkage and formation of apoptotic bodies, with DNA fragmentation and formation of a typical DNA ladder pattern. Following TPEN treatment, caspases-3, -8, and -9 were activated and caspase target proteins, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, and Sp transcription factors were cleaved. These effects were inhibited by adding zinc to the medium. To assess the role of zinc in the activation of the caspase cascade, we compared zinc inhibition during tumor necrosis factor alpha/cycloheximide- and etoposide-induced apoptosis with that induced by TPEN. Zinc addition partially inhibited caspase-3 activation, but not caspase-8 and -9 cleavage in HeLa cells treated with tumor necrosis factor alpha or etoposide. These results suggest that caspase-3 is rapidly and directly activated by zinc chelation, without a requirement for an upstream event. Caspase-3 activation is therefore the main event leading to apoptosis after intracellular zinc chelation. Finally, we conclude that cellular zinc inhibits apoptosis by maintaining caspase-3 inactive.