BODIPY-GO nanocomposites decorated with a biocompatible branched ethylene glycol moiety for targeted PDT

BODIPY precursors and their cyclotriphosphazene Derivatives: Synthesis, photochemical properties and their application in PDT

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment method consisting of common combination of oxygen, light energy and a light absorbing molecule called a photosensitizer. In this work, four new compounds consisting of BODIPY precursors and BODIPY-cyclotriphosphazene derivatives were synthesized to investigate the PDT effects. The chemical structures of the compounds were characterized and then their photophysical properties were determined by spectroscopic techniques. The precursor BODIPYs and their cyclotriphosphazene derivatives exhibited similar properties such as strong absorption intensity, high photostability and low fluorescence profile in the NIR region. Additionally, the singlet oxygen production capacities of these compounds were determined using the photobleaching technique of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) under light illumination. By introducing iodine atoms into the molecule, which are responsible for the intersystem transition (ISC) enhancement, a more efficient singlet oxygen production was achieved in both the iodinated-BODIPY and its cyclotriphosphazene derivative. Anticancer activities of the precursor BODIPYs and their cyclotriphosphazene derivatives in the absence and presence of light illumination were evaluated on cancerous cell lines (PC3 and DU145) and non-tumorigenic prostate epithelial PNT1a cell. The compounds triggered the death of cancer cell PC3 the more significantly in the presence of red light compared to the healthy cells (PNT1a).

Modulation of AMPK Significantly Alters Uveal Melanoma Tumor Cell Viability

INTRODUCTION

Uveal melanoma (UM) responds poorly to targeted therapies or immune checkpoint inhibitors. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a pivotal serine/threonine protein kinase that coordinates vital processes such as cell growth. Targeting AMPK pathway, which represents a critical mechanism mediating the survival of UM cells, may prove to be a novel treatment strategy for UM. We aimed to demonstrate the effects of AMPK modulation on UM cells.

METHODS

In silico analyses were performed to compare UM and normal melanocyte cells via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). The effects of AMPK modulation on cell viability and proliferation in UM cell lines with different molecular profiles (i.e., 92-1, MP46, OMM2.5, and Mel270) were investigated via XTT cell viability and proliferation assays after treating the cells with varying concentrations of A-769662 (AMPK activator) or dorsomorphin (AMPK inhibitor).

RESULTS

KEGG/GSEA studies demonstrated that genes implicated in the AMPK signaling pathway were differentially regulated in UM. Gene sets comprising genes involved in AMPK signaling and genes involved in energy-dependent regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin by liver kinase B1-AMPK were downregulated in UM. We observed gradual decreases in the numbers of viable UM cells as the concentration of A-769662 treatment increased. All UM cells demonstrated statistically significant decreases in cell viability when treated with 200 µm A-769662. Moreover, the effects of AMPK inhibition on UM cells were potent, since low doses of dorsomorphin treatment resulted in significant decreases in viabilities of UM cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values confirmed the potency of dorsomorphin treatment against UM in vitro.

CONCLUSION

AMPK may act like a friend or a foe in cancer depending on the context. As such, the current study contributes to the literature in determining the effects of therapeutic strategies targeting AMPK in several UM cells. We propose a new perspective in the treatment of UM. Targeting AMPK pathway may open up new avenues in developing novel therapeutic approaches to improve overall survival in UM.