Light-activated inhibition of cathepsin activity was demonstrated with in a cell-based assay. Inhibitors of cathepsin K, Cbz-Leu-NHCH2CN (2) and Cbz-Leu-Ser(OBn)-CN (3), were caged within the complexes cis-[Ru(bpy)2(2)2]Cl2 (4) and cis-[Ru(bpy)2(3)2](BF4)2 (5), where bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, as 1:1 mixtures of Δ- and Λ stereoisomers. Complexes 4 and 5 were characterized by 1H NMR, IR and UV-vis spectroscopies and electrospray mass spectrometry. Photochemical experiments confirm that 4 releases two molecules of 2 upon exposure to visible light for 15 min, whereas release of 3 by 5 requires longer irradiation times. IC50 determinations against purified cathepsin K under light and dark conditions with 4 and 5 confirm that inhibition is enhanced from 35 to 88-fold, respectively, upon irradiation with visible light. No apparent toxicity was observed for 4 in the absence or presence of irradiation in bone marrow macrophage (BMM) or PC-3 cells, as judged by the MTT assay, at concentrations up to 10 μM. Compound 5 is well tolerated at lower concentrations (<1 μM) but does show growth inhibitory effects at higher concentrations. Confocal microscopy experiments show that 4 reduces intracellular cathepsin activity in osteoclasts with light activation. These results support further development of caged nitrile-based inhibitors as chemical tools for investigating spatial aspects of proteolysis within living systems.

Ruthenium(II) tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) is an effective caging group for nitriles that provides high levels of control over the enzyme activity with light. Two caged nitriles were prepared, [Ru(TPA)(MeCN)2](PF6)2 (1) and [Ru(TPA)(3)2](PF6)2 (2), where 3 is the cathepsin K inhibitor Cbz-Leu-NHCH2CN, and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry. Both 1 and 2 show the release of a single nitrile within 20 min of irradiation with 365 nm light. Complex 2 acts as a potent, photoactivated inhibitor of human cathepsin K. IC50 values were determined for 2 and 3. Enzyme inhibition for 2 was enhanced by a factor of 89 upon exposure to light, with IC50 values of 63 nM (light) and 5.6 μM (dark).

The cysteine protease cathepsin B has been causally linked to progression and metastasis of breast cancers. We demonstrate inhibition by a dipeptidyl nitrile inhibitor (compound 1) of cathepsin B activity and also of pericellular degradation of dye-quenched collagen IV by living breast cancer cells. To image, localize and quantify collagen IV degradation in real-time we used 3D pathomimetic breast cancer models designed to mimic the in vivo microenvironment of breast cancers. We further report the synthesis and characterization of a caged version of compound 1, [Ru(bpy)2(1)2](BF4)2 (compound 2), which can be photoactivated with visible light. Upon light activation, compound 2, like compound 1, inhibited cathepsin B activity and pericellular collagen IV degradation by the 3D pathomimetic models of living breast cancer cells, without causing toxicity. We suggest that caged inhibitor 2 is a prototype for cathepsin B inhibitors that can control both the site and timing of inhibition in cancer.

Ruthenium-based photocaging groups have important applications as biological tools and show great potential as therapeutics. A method was developed to rapidly synthesize, screen and identify ruthenium-based caging groups that release nitriles upon irradiation with visible light. A diverse library of tetra- and pentadentate ligands was synthesized on polystyrene resin. Ruthenium complexes of the general formula [Ru(L)(MeCN)n]m+ (n = 1–3, m = 1–2) were generated from these ligands on solid phase, then cleaved from resin for photochemical analysis. Data indicate a wide range of spectral tuning and reactivity with visible light. Three complexes that showed strong absorbance in the visible range were synthesized by solution phase for comparison. Photochemical behavior of solution- and solid-phase complexes was in good agreement, confirming that the library approach is useful in identifying candidates with desired photoreactivity in short order, avoiding time consuming chromatography and compound purification.