Hypericin, Hypocrellin, and Model Compounds: Primary Photoprocesses of Light-Induced Antiviral Agents

Near-Infrared Hypocrellin Derivatives for Synergistic Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy

Hypocrellin B (HB) derived from naturally produced hypocrellins has attracted considerable attention in photodynamic therapy (PDT) because of its excellent photosensitive properties. However, the weak absorption within a "phototherapy window" (600-900 nm) and poor water solubility of HB have limited its clinical application. In this study, two HB derivatives (i. e., HE and HF) were designed and synthesized for the first time by introducing two different substituent groups into the HB structure. The obtained derivatives showed a broad absorption band covering the near-infrared (NIR) region, NIR emission (peaked at 805 nm), and singlet oxygen quantum yields of 0.27/0.31. HE-PEG-NPs were also prepared using 2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethyleneglycol)-2000] (DSPE-mPEG2000) to achieve excellent dispersion in water and further explored their practical applications. HE-PEG-NPs not only retained their ¹ O₂ -generating ability, but also exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency of 25.9%. In vitro and in vivo therapeutic results revealed that the synergetic effect of HE-PEG-NPs on PDT and photothermal therapy (PTT) could achieve a good performance. Therefore, HE-PEG-NPs could be regarded as a promising phototheranostic agent.

Photodynamic action of Hypericum perforatum hydrophilic extract against Staphylococcus aureus

Hypericin (Hyp) is one of the most effective, naturally occurring photodynamic agents, which proved effective against a wide array of microorganisms.

Hypericin-Apomyoglobin: An Enhanced Photosensitizer Complex for the Treatment of Tumor Cells

Bioavailability of photosensitizers for cancer photodynamic therapy is often hampered by their low solubility in water. Here, we overcome this issue by using the water-soluble protein apomyoglobin (apoMb) as a carrier for the photosensitizer hypericin (Hyp). The Hyp-apoMb complex is quickly uptaken by HeLa and PC3 cells at submicromolar concentrations. Fluorescence emission of Hyp-apoMb is exploited to localize the cellular distribution of the photosensitizer. The plasma membrane is rapidly and efficiently loaded, and fluorescence is observed in the cytoplasm only at later times and to a lesser extent. Comparison with cells loaded with Hyp alone demonstrates that the uptake of the photosensitizer without the protein carrier is a slower, less efficient process, that involves the whole cell structure without preferential accumulation at the plasma membrane. Cell viability assays demonstrate that the Hyp-apoMb exhibits superior performance over Hyp. Similar results were obtained using tumor spheroids as three-dimensional cell culture models.

Tuning the local solvent composition at a drug carrier surface: the effect of dimethyl sulfoxide/water mixture on the photofunctional properties of hypericin-β-lactoglobulin complexes

Aggregation is a major problem for the anti-microbial photodynamic applications of hydrophobic photosensitizers since it strongly reduces the amount of singlet oxygen generated in aqueous solutions. Binding of hypericin (Hyp) to the milk whey protein β-lactoglobulin (βLG), occurring at the two hydrophobic cavities located at the interface of the protein homodimer, can be exploited to confer water-solubility and biocompatibility to the photosensitizer. The introduction of a small amount of the organic cosolvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) leads to a remarkable improvement of the photophysical properties of the complex Hyp-βLG by increasing its fluorescence emission and singlet oxygen photosensitization quantum yields. Surprisingly, the ability of the complex to photo-inactivate bacteria of the strain Staphylococcus aureus is strongly reduced in the presence of DMSO, despite the higher yield of photosensitization. The reasons for this apparently contradictory behavior are investigated, providing new insights into the use of carrier systems for hydrophobic photosensitizers.

Photophysics and Multifunctionality of Hypericin-Like Pigments in Heterotrich Ciliates: A Phylogenetic Perspective

In this paper, we review the literature and present some new data to examine the occurrence and photophysics of the diverse hypericin-like chromophores in heterotrichs, the photoresponses of the cells, the various roles of the pigments and the taxa that might be studied to advance our understanding of these pigments. Hypericin-like chromophores are known chemically and spectrally so far only from the stentorids and Fabrea, the latter now seen to be sister to stentorids in the phylogenetic tree. For three hypericin-like pigments, the structures are known but these probably do not account for all the colors seen in stentorids. At least eight physiological groups of Stentor exist depending on pigment color and presence/absence of zoochlorellae, and some species can be bleached, leading to many opportunities for comparison of pigment chemistry and cell behavior. Several different responses to light are exhibited among heterotrichs, sometimes by the same cell; in particular, cells with algal symbionts are photophilic in contrast to the well-studied sciaphilous (shade-loving) species. Hypericin-like pigments are involved in some well-known photophobic reactions but other pigments (rhodopsin and flavins) are also involved in photoresponses in heterotrichs and other protists. The best characterized role of hypericin-like pigments in heterotrichs is in photoresponses and they have at least twice evolved a role as photoreceptors. However, hypericin and hypericin-like pigments in diverse organisms more commonly serve as predator defense and the pigments are multifunctional in heterotrichs. A direct role for the pigments in UV protection is possible but evidence is equivocal. New observations are presented on a folliculinid from deep water, including physical characterization of its hypericin-like pigment and its phylogenetic position based on SSU rRNA sequences. The photophysics of hypericin and hypericin-like pigments is reviewed. Particular attention is given to how their excited-state properties are modified by the environment. Dramatic changes in excited-state behavior are observed as hypericin is moved from the homogeneous environment of organic solvents to the much more structured surroundings provided by the complexes it forms with proteins. Among these complexes, it is useful to consider the differences between environments where hypericin is not found naturally and those where it is, notably, for example, in heterotrichs. It is clear that interaction with a protein modifies the photophysics of hypericin and understanding the molecular basis of this interaction is one of the outstanding problems in elucidating the function of hypericin and hypericin-like chromophores.

Interaction of Glutathione S-Transferase with Hypericin: A Photophysical Study

The photophysics of hypericin have been studied in its complex with two different isoforms, A1-1 and P1-1, of the protein glutathione S-transferase (GST). One molecule of hypericin binds to each of the two GST subunits. Comparisons are made with our previous results for the hypericin/human serum albumin complex (Photochem. Photobiol. 1999, 69, 633-645). Hypericin binds with high affinity to the GSTs: 0.65 microM for the A1-1 isoform and 0.51 microM for the P1-1 isoform (Biochemistry 2004, 43, 12761-12769). The photophysics and activity of hypericin are strongly modulated by the binding protein. Intramolecular hydrogen-atom transfer is suppressed in both cases. Most importantly, while there is significant singlet oxygen generation from hypericin bound to GST A1-1, binding to GST P1-1 suppresses singlet oxygen generation to almost negligible levels. The data are rationalized in terms of a simple model in which the hypericin photophysics depends entirely upon the decay of the triplet state by two competing processes, quenching by oxygen to yield singlet oxygen and ionization, the latter of these two are proposed to be modulated by A1-1 and P1-1.

Two-photon excitation studies of hypocrellins for photodynamic therapy

The photophysical and photochemical properties of hypocrellins (HA and HB) are examined with two-photon excitations at 800 nm using femtosecond pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser. The two-photon excited fluorescence spectra of HA and HB are very similar to those obtained by one-photon excitation, which may indicate that the two-photon induced photodynamic processes of hypocrellins are similar to one-photon induced photodynamic processes. The two-photon excitation cross sections of HA and HB are measured at 800 nm as about 34.8 x 10(-50) cm(4) s/photon and 21.3 x 10(-50) cm(4) s/photon, respectively. The large two-photon cross sections of both HA and HB, suggest that the hypocrellins can be potential two-photon phototherapeutic agents. As an example for two-photon photodynamic therapy of hypocrellins, we also further examine the cell-damaging effects of HA upon two-photon illumination. Our preliminary results of cell viability test indicate hypocrellins can effectively damage the Hela cells under two-photon illumination.

Toward the molecular flashlight: preparation, properties, and photophysics of a hypericin-luciferin tethered molecule

The synthesis of a molecule containing hypericin and luciferin moieties joined by a tether is reported. The light-induced (in vitro) antiviral activity as well as the photophysical properties of this new compound are measured and compared with those of the parent compounds, hypericin and pseudohypericin. This tethered molecule exhibits excited-state behavior that is very similar to that of its parent compounds and antiviral activity that is identical, within experimental error, to that of its more closely related parent compound, pseudohypericin. The implications for a photodynamic therapy that is independent of external light sources are discussed.

The leghemoglobin proximal heme pocket directs oxygen dissociation and stabilizes bound heme

Sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) and soybean leghemoglobin (Lba) are two small, monomeric hemoglobins that share a common globin fold but differ widely in many other aspects. Lba has a much higher affinity for most ligands, and the two proteins use different distal and proximal heme pocket regulatory mechanisms to control ligand binding. Removal of the constraint provided by covalent attachment of the proximal histidine to the F-helices of these proteins decreases oxygen affinity in Lba and increases oxygen affinity in Mb, mainly because of changes in oxygen dissociation rate constants. Hence, Mb and Lba use covalent constraints in opposite ways to regulate ligand binding. Swapping the F-helices of the two proteins brings about similar effects, highlighting the importance of this helix in proximal heme pocket regulation of ligand binding. The F7 residue in Mb is capable of weaving a hydrogen-bonding network that holds the proximal histidine in a fixed orientation. On the contrary, the F7 residue in Lba lacks this property and allows the proximal histidine to assume a conformation favorable for higher ligand binding affinity. Geminate recombination studies indicate that heme iron reactivity on picosecond timescales is not the dominant cause for the effects observed in each mutation. Results also indicate that in Lba the proximal and distal pocket mutations probably influence ligand binding independently. These results are discussed in the context of current hypotheses for proximal heme pocket structure and function.

The structure of hypericin in solution. Searching for hypericin's 1,6 tautomer

Hypericin in organic solvents displays two types of electronic spectra: one type which shows a distinct solvatochromic effect, the stable form, and the other, the unstable form, which lacks this property. The latter type is formed in dry nonprotic solvents (e.g. tetrahydrofuran, EtOAc) and can be converted to the stable form on addition of protic solvents. In order to establish the tautomeric structure of the unstable form we applied conventional nuclear magnetic resonance techniques as well as two-dimensional gradient-enhanced heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation, gradient-enhanced ROESY and one-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect difference experiments. All these techniques pointed to the fact that the unstable form has the 7,14-diketo tautomeric structure, like the stable form, and not the 1,6-diketo structure. Electronic spectroscopy indicated that the unstable form has acidic properties and therefore possesses two free OH groups at C3 and C4 at the bay region of the molecule.

Identification of a vibrational frequency corresponding to H-atom translocation in hypericin

Using time-resolved infrared spectroscopy, ab initio quantum mechanical calculations and synthetic organic chemistry a region in the infrared spectrum of triplet hypericin has been found between 1400 and 1500 cm-1 corresponding to the translocation of the hydrogen atom between the enol and the keto oxygens, O...H...O. This result is discussed in the context of the photophysics of hypericin and of eventual measurements to observe directly the excited-state H-atom transfer.

Photosensitization of hypomycin B--a novel perylenequinonoid pigment with only one intramolecular hydrogen bond

Electron spin resonance technique and spin-trapping methods were used to determine the photoproduction of 1O2 and O2.- by hypomycin B (HMB), a novel perylenequinonoid pigment (PQP) possessing only one hydroxyl group. It was found that the yields of 1O2 and O2.- for HMB were comparable to those for hypocrellin A, a typical natural PQP with good photosensitivity. In addition, the absorption and fluorescence spectra for HMB were investigated. The pKa values in the ground and excited states of HMB were determined to be 8.94 and 5.54, respectively. Thus, the photodynamic mechanisms of HMB may involve not only the photogeneration of 1O2 and O2.- but also the light-induced acidification. Consequently, HMB is proposed to be a good photodynamic therapeutic agent.

Is the excited-state H-atom transfer in hypericin concerted?

The excited-state intramolecular H-atom transfer of hypericin (Hyp) was investigated as a function of pH in monodispersed reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate/heptane/water and in complexes with Tb3+ under conditions in which one of the two carbonyl groups of Hyp is incapable of accepting a hydrogen atom. The results of pump-probe transient absorption experiments provide no evidence for a concerted H-atom transfer mechanism.

Hypocrellin and hypericin-induced phototoxicity of HL-60 cells: apoptosis or necrosis?

Hypericin and hypocrellin are potential antiviral and antineoplastic agents with multiple modes of light-induced biological activity connected with a production of singlet oxygen and/or excited-state proton transfer and consequent pH drop formation in the drugs environment. In present work light-induced cytotoxicity of hypericin and hypocrellin and mechansim of cell death (apoptosis or necrosis) on human leukemic cell line HL-60 was studied. As a mean for apoptosis detection we used poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) as a sensitive marker of early stages of apoptosis. Our results show that exposition of HL-60 cells to hypericin (1 x 10(-5) mol x l(-1)) for 4 hours has no effect on PARP cleavage. However, after 24 and 48 hours of illumination there is evident that hypericin in this concentration cleaved PARP (116 kDa) into two fragments (85 and 25 kDa). Contrary to hypericin, hypocrellin in concentration 1 x 10(-5) mol x l(-1) after 4 hours of illumination cleaved PARP into two fragments typical for apoptosis. In lower concentration (1 x 10(-6) mol x l(-1)) hypocrellin possess also significant cytotoxic activity. Because we detected no fragmentation of PARP in all observed time periods we suggest that cytotoxic effect of hypocrellin in this concentration is due to induction of necrosis. Our results support the hypotesis that the hypericin and hypocrellin has similar mechanism of action and illumination increases cytotoxic effect of both agents.

Effect of pH on the fluorescence and absorption spectra of hypericin in reverse micelles

The well-characterized, monodispersed nature of reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate/heptane and their usefulness in approximating a membrane-like environment have been exploited to investigate the effect of pH and water pool size on the photophysical properties of hypericin (Hyp). Our measurements reveal two titratable groups of pKa approximately 1.5 and approximately 12.5. These are assigned to the HypH+/Hyp equilibrium (the deprotonation of a carbonyl group) and the Hyp-/Hyp2- equilibrium (the deprotonation of a peri hydroxyl group). The low-energy absorbance maxima of HypH+, of Hyp and Hyp- and of Hyp2- are 583, 594 and 613 nm, respectively. Neither at pH 13 nor at 1 M HCl is the system entirely in the Hyp2- or the HypH+ forms. Ours is the first study of Hyp in reverse micelles as well as the first time-resolved study of Hyp as a function of pH.

Liposome binding constants and singlet oxygen quantum yields of hypericin, tetrahydroxy helianthrone and their derivatives: studies in organic solutions and in liposomes

The spectroscopy and photophysics of several hypericin and helianthrone derivatives were studied in methanol and when bound to liposomes. The singlet oxygen quantum yields (phi(delta)) were measured indirectly relative to Rose Bengal and hematoporphyrin IX, employing 9,10-dimethylanthracene as a singlet oxygen trap. Hypericin was found to have a phi(delta) of 0.39+/-0.01 in methanol, and 0.35+/-0.05 in lecithin vesicles, in agreement with literature values. A heavy atom effect was evident upon bromination, resulting in phi(delta) for tetrabromohypericin of 0.72+/-0.02, presumably due to enhanced intersystem crossing. Elimination of the anionic hydroxyls by methylation also enhanced phi(delta) to 0.81+/-0.01. Conversely, addition of anionic sulfate groups drastically reduced phi(delta) resulting in phi(delta)'s of 0.12+/-0.01, 0.052+/-0.003 and 0.40+/-0.01 for hypericin disulfonate, hypericin tetrasulfonate and hexamethyl hypericin tetrasulfonate, respectively. The non-sulfonated helianthrones exhibited low phi(delta)'s in solution. The liposome binding constants, Kb, were measured using a spectroscopic assay. Except for hexamethyl hypericin, all non-sulfonated compounds bound well with Kb's ranging from 15.5+/-0.1 to 48.7+/-3.9 (mg/ml)(-1). None of the tetrasulfonated compounds bound, however the hypericin disulfonate had a Kb of 4.1+/-0.2 (mg/ml)(-1). The phi(delta)'s of the compounds capable of binding were measured and, in the case of the hypericin derivatives, were found not to vary dramatically from those in the free state. Liposome-bound helianthrone and dimethyl tetrahydroxy helianthrone both exhibited high phi(delta)'s, i.e. >0.5. The variations in binding constant and sensitization efficiencies are explained in conjunction with the molecular structure. The relevance of the above data to photodynamic therapy is briefly discussed.

Multidimensional reaction coordinate for the excited-state H-atom transfer in perylene quinones: importance of the 7-membered ring in hypocrellins A and B

The excited-state intramolecular H-atom transfer reactions of hypocrellins B and A are compared by using time-resolved absorption and fluorescence upconversion techniques. The hypocrellin B photophysics are well described by a simple model involving one ground-state species and excited-state forward and reverse H-atom transfer with a nonfluorescent excited state. We suggest that excited-state conformational changes are coupled to the H-atom transfer in hypocrellin B just as gauche/anti changes are coupled to the H-atom transfer in hypocrellin A.

Phenanthrenequinone antiretroviral agents

Compounds 3 and 5 are the first phenanthrenequinones to exhibit significant virucidal activity against the retrovirus equine infectious anemia virus. They differ from hypericin in that their virucidal activity is not light dependent.

The role of oxygen in the antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin

The light-induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin in the presence and absence of oxygen was examined under experimental conditions where the effect of oxygen depletion could be quantified. There was a significant reduction of light-induced antiviral activity of hypericin and hypocrellin under hypoxic conditions. Interestingly, antiviral activity of hypocrellin was not observed at low oxygen levels at which hypericin retained measurable virucidal activity. This suggests that additional pathways, such as the generation of protons from excited states of hypericin, may enhance the biological activity of activated oxygen species.

Photocytotoxic effect of pseudohypericin versus hypericin

Pseudohypericin and hypericin, the major photosensitizing constituents of Hypericum perforatum, are believed to cause hypericism. Since hypericin has been proposed as a photosensitizer for photodynamic cancer therapy, the photocytotoxicity of its congener pseudohypericin has been investigated. The presence of foetal calf serum (FCS) or albumin extensively inhibits the photocytotoxic effect of pseudohypericin against A431 tumour cells, and is associated with a large decrease in cellular uptake of the compound. These results suggest that pseudohypericin, in contrast to hypericin, interacts strongly with constituents of FCS, lowering its interaction with cells. Since pseudohypericin is two to three times more abundant in Hypericum than hypericin and the bioavailabilities of pseudohypericin and hypericin after oral administration are similar, these results suggest that hypericin, and not pseudohypericin, is likely to be the constituent responsible for hypericism. Moreover, the dramatic decrease of photosensitizing activity of pseudohypericin in the presence of serum may restrict its applicability in clinical situations.