UV-A induced DNA nicking activities of skin photosensitive drugs: phenothiazines, benzothiadiazines and afloqualone

Green Process for the Synthesis of 3-Amino-2-methyl-quinazolin-4(3H)-one Synthones and Amides Thereof:DNA Photo-Disruptive and Molecular Docking Studies

Eleven 3-amino-2-methyl-quinazolin-4(3H)-ones have been synthesized, in good to excellent yields, via their corresponding benzoxazinones using an efficient tandem microwave-assisted green process. Representative acetamides have been thermally derived from their functional free 3-amino group, whereas for the synthesis of various arylamides, a novel green microwave-assisted protocol has been developed, which involved the attack of hydrazides on benzoxazinones. Eight out of the eleven 3-amino-2-methyl-quinazolin-4(3H)-ones were found photo-active towards plasmid DNA under UVB, and four under UVA irradiation. Amongst all acetamides, only the 6-nitro derivative retained activity both under UVB and UVA irradiation, whereas the 6-bromo-substituted one was active only under UVB. 3-arylamido-6-bromo derivatives exhibited dramatically decreased photo-activity; however, all 3-arylamido-6-nitro compounds developed extraordinary activity, even at concentrations as low as 1μM, which was enhanced compared to their parent 3-amino-2-methyl-6-nitro-quinazolinone. Molecular docking studies were indicative of satisfactory binding to DNA and correlated to the presented photo-activity. Since quinazolinones are known “privileged” pharmacophores for anticancer and antimicrobial activities, the present study gives information on turning “on” and “off” photosensitization on various derivatives which are often used as synthones for drug development, when chromophores and auxochromes are incorporated or being functionalized. Thus, certain compounds may lead to the development of novel photo-chemo or photodynamic therapeutics.

6-Nitro-Quinazolin-4(3H)-one Exhibits Photodynamic Effects and Photodegrades Human Melanoma Cell Lines. A Study on the Photoreactivity of Simple Quinazolin-4(3H)-ones

Photochemo and photodynamic therapies are minimally invasive approaches for the treatment of cancers and powerful weapons for competing bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Synthetic and naturally occurring quinazolinones are considered privileged anticancer and antibacterial agents, with several of them to have emerged as commercially available drugs. In the present study, applying a single-step green microwave irradiation mediated protocol we have synthesized eleven quinazolinon-4(3H)-ones, from cheap readily available anthranilic acids, in very good yields and purity. These products were irradiated in the presence of pBR322 plasmid DNA under UVB, UVA and visible light. Four of the compounds proved to be very effective DNA photocleavers, at low concentrations, being time and concentration dependent as well as pH independent. Participation of reactive oxygen species was related to the substitution of quinazolinone derivatives. 6-Nitro-quinazolinone in combination with UVA irradiation was found to be in vitro photodestructive for three cell lines; glioblastoma (U87MG and T98G) and mainly melanoma (A-375). Thus, certain appropriately substituted quinazolinones may serve as new lead photosensitizers for the development of promising biotechnological applications and as novel photochemo and photodynamic therapeutics.

Phenothiazine electrophores immobilized on periodic mesoporous organosilicas by ion exchange

Two different phenothiazines carrying quaternary ammonium groups in the side chain have been synthesized and fully characterized.

First synthesis and electronic properties of diphenothiazine dumbbells bridged by heterocycles

According to cyclic voltammetry, symmetrical dumbbell-shaped phenothiazine dyads bridged by heterocycles show intense electronic coupling between the redox-active phenothiazine moieties. Furthermore, the fluorescence of the pyridyl-bridged derivatives can be controlled by pH change giving reversibly switchable redox-active biselectrophore dyads.

Synthesis and electronic properties of sterically demanding N-arylphenothiazines and unexpected Buchwald-Hartwig aminations

Phenothiazine is coupled under Buchwald-Hartwig conditions with bromo anthracenes and perylene as substrates to give phenothiazine-anthracene and phenothiazine-perylene dyads and triads. Investigation of the electronic properties of these sterically demanding N-aryl phenothiazines by absorption and emission spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and DFT calculations revealed that the individual chromophores are decoupled in the electronic ground state but show unique electronic communication in the excited state. For the anthracenyl-bridged diphenothiazine an intense electronic coupling of the phenothiazinyl units is detected upon oxidation. Besides, attempts to synthesize phenothiazine compounds with even more sterically demanding aryl substituents in the 10-position under N-arylation conditions gave rise to the formation of quite unexpected products of arylation and/or oxidative coupling. The folding angle of the phenothiazine in a consanguineous series correlates well with the first oxidation potential.

Synthesis of functionalized ethynylphenothiazine fluorophores

Alkynylated and butadiynyl-bridged phenothiazines with variable functionalization can be synthesized in good yields by cross-coupling and condensation approaches. In addition, the structure of the diethynylated phenothiazine (7a) has been corroborated by an X-ray structure analysis. These oligofunctional heterocycles are fluorescent with modest quantum yields (Phi(f) = 20-35%) and represent suitable building blocks for novel photoexcitable molecular wires.

In vitro studies of the phototoxic potential of the antidepressant drugs amitriptyline and imipramine

Amitriptyline and imipramine, two tricyclic antidepressant drugs, have been studied to evaluate their phototoxic potential using various models. Reactive oxygen species production was investigated. A negligible production of singlet oxygen was observed for both compounds whereas a significant production of superoxide anion was noted for amitriptyline in particular. Moderate red blood cell lysis under UVA light (365 nm) was induced in the presence of the two drugs at a concentration of 50 microM. Cellular phototoxicity was investigated on a murine fibroblast cell line (3T3). The two drugs were phototoxic causing cell death at a concentration of 100 microM and a UVA dose in the range of 3.3-6.6 J/cm2. Furthermore, the two drugs photosensitized the peroxidation of linoleic acid, as monitored by the formation of dienic hydroperoxides. The presence of BHA and GSH, two free radical scavengers, significantly reduced the lipid oxidation photoinduced by the drugs, suggesting a predominant involvement of radical species. Finally, the involvement of nucleic acids in the phototoxicity mechanism was also investigated using a pBR322 plasmid DNA as a model.

Participation of reactive oxygen species in phototoxicity induced by quinolone antibacterial agents

To elucidate the mechanism of phototoxicity induced as a side effect by some of the new quinolone antibiotics, we studied sparfloxacin (SPFX), lomefloxacin, enoxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. We first examined the photosensitized formation of reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anion (O2-) mediated by the new quinolones. Although a large number of studies have been reported, there is no direct evidence that these drugs generate reactive oxygen species. We employed a near-infrared emission spectrometer to detect 1O2-specific emission (1268 nm), and the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction method to detect O2-. All the quinolones investigated in this study were found to produce 1O2. Four drugs, but not SPFX, produced O2-. We also examined photodynamic DNA strand-breaking activity as a possible mechanism to explain the participation of reactive oxygen species in the phototoxicity of the drugs. All the drugs exhibited photodynamic DNA strand-breaking activity. The inhibitory effect of scavengers of reactive oxygen species indicated that the main active species was 1O2. The DNA strand-breaking activity was correlated not with the 1O2-forming ability, but with the affinity of the drugs for DNA. This result may be due to the short lifetime of 1O2. These data suggested that the phototoxicity of the new quinolones was related to DNA damage caused by reactive oxygen species, especially 1O2.

Photodynamic DNA-breaking activity of serum from patients with various photosensitivity dermatoses

Various drugs and chemicals break the DNA strand under ultraviolet irradiation. This study aimed to clarify the DNA-breaking activity (DBA) of serum from 39 patients with various photosensitivity disorders and that from eight normal subjects. A mixture of serum and circular plasmid DNA was exposed to longwave ultraviolet radiation, and the photoinduced cleavage of plasmid DNA was examined by electrophoretic analysis. DBA was found in serum from patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (2 of 2), drug-induced photosensitivity (3 of 5), chronic actinic dermatitis (1 of 12) and hydroa vacciniforme (1 of 1). DBA was not found in serum from patients with porphyria cutanea tarda, collagen diseases with photosensitivity, papulovesicular light eruption or pellagra. The inhibition profile of DBA by active oxygen scavengers was different between afloqualone- and tetracycline-induced photosensitivity and chronic actinic dermatitis. The present method was useful for the detection of serum phototoxicity and the investigation of the pathomechanisms of photosensitivity.

Afloqualone photosensitivity: immunogenicity of afloqualone-photomodified epidermal cells

Afloqualone (AQ) is an oral muscle relaxant and evokes ultraviolet A (UVA)-induced photosensitivity dermatitis as a side effect. Histologic observations of the skin eruption suggest that AQ photosensitivity is mediated not only by phototoxic but also by photoallergic mechanisms. To address the immunological mechanisms of AQ photosensitivity, we examined the immunogenicity of AQ-photomodified epidermal cells in mice. Afloqualone was covalently coupled with bovine serum albumin by irradiation with UVA but not UVB. Because of this ability of AQ to photobind to protein, murine epidermal cells were easily modified with AQ by exposure to UVA. Subcutaneous inoculation of AQ-photomodified epidermal cells successfully induced an antigen-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice. These findings suggest that AQ-photoderivatized epidermal cells are highly immunogenic and that photomodification of epidermal cells with AQ is an initial event to evoke AQ photosensitivity dermatitis.