The mechanism of photosensitization in photodynamic therapy: phosphorescence behavior of porphyrin derivatives in saline solution containing human serum albumin

Enhancement of Fluoresceinyl Cypridina Luciferin Analog Chemiluminescence by Human Serum Albumin for Singlet Oxygen Detection

Fluoresceinyl cypridina luciferin analog (FCLA) is a chemiluminescence (CL) probe for detecting reactive oxygen species (ROS). Its efficiency for detecting singlet oxygen (1O2) can be significantly enhanced in the presence of human serum albumin (HSA). This phenomenon may apply to important applications for both research and clinical testing, because of the broad presence of HSA in the human system. In the current study the mechanism of the FCLA-HSA CL system is studied by means of direct CL measurement and spectroscopy techniques. Our results show that FCLA can combine with HSA via a single binding site to form a complex. The CL efficiency of the system is largely governed by an intersystem energy transfer between the two components upon interaction with 1O2. The CL production reaches maximum in a synergetic manner when equal amounts of FCLA and HSA are present simultaneously, but production is less at other ratios. The results also show that the combination of FCLA with HSA does not significantly alter the ROS selectivity of FCLA. In conclusion, our study shows that FCLA and HSA can combine and form a complex with higher CL efficiency. This provides us a new approach in designing CL techniques for studying ROS.

In Vivo Oxygen Radical Generation in the Skin of the Protoporphyria Model Mouse with Visible Light Exposure: An L-Band ESR Study

Although oxygen radicals are thought to play a key role in the skin injury that is caused by protoporphyria, there is no direct evidence of generation of these radicals in vivo. This study measured the generation of oxygen radicals caused by visible light non-invasively in the skin of griseofulvin-induced protoporphyria model mice, using an in vivo electron spin resonance spectrometer equipped with a surface-coil-type resonator that could detect radicals within about 0.5 mm of the skin surface. A durable nitroxyl radical was administered intravenously as a probe. Light irradiation enhanced the decay of the nitroxyl signal in griseofulvin-treated mice, whereas light irradiation did not enhance the signal decay in control mice. The enhanced signal decay was completely suppressed by intravenous administration of hydroxyl radical scavengers, superoxide dismutase or catalase, or the intraperitoneal administration of desferrioxamine. The enhanced signal decay with illumination was reversible, and quickly responded to turning the light on and off. These observations suggest that the hydroxyl radical is generated via an iron-catalyzed reaction in the skin. This paper demonstrates, for the first time, the specific generation of oxygen radicals in response to light irradiation of the skin of protoporphyria model mice.

Lens α-Crystallin and Hypericin: A Photophysical Mechanism Explains Observed Lens Damage†¶

Determining whether alpha-crystallin (the major lens protein) affects the photophysics of hypericin, a photosensitizing agent found in various plants, such as St. John's Wort, is important. Hypericin shows promise in cancer and human immunodeficiency virus therapy but may harm individuals taking St. John's Wort extracts (for mild to moderate depression). Hypericin causes hypericism, which is characterized by cellular damage in light-exposed areas. Ocular tissues are at risk for photosensitized damage; thus, we investigated the effects on hypericin photophysics by alpha-crystallin. We measured the transient absorption spectra and the 1270 nm luminescence of singlet (1Deltag) oxygen produced from hypericin in the presence of alpha-crystallin. alpha-Crystallin complexes hypericin, extending the lifetime of its triplet excited state; the Stern-Volmer slope is negative, but not linear, after a saturation curve. Damage to the lens protein by hypericin is known to occur via singlet oxygen, which oxidizes methionine, tryptophan and histidine residues. Binding to alpha-crystallin does not inhibit singlet oxygen formation by hypericin. alpha-Crystallin reacts with singlet oxygen with a rate constant of 1.3 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1). Thus, we anticipate that hypericin will be an effective photosensitizer in the lens.

Photophysical studies of excited-state characteristics of meso-tetrakis (4-N-methyl-pyridiniumyl) porphyrin bound to DNA

The interaction of meso-tetrakis (4-N-methyl-pyridiniumyl) porphyrin (TMPyP) with DNA has been investigated at ionic strength (IS) values of 0.01 and 0.20 M (pH 6.8) using the flash-photolysis technique along with optical absorption and fluorescence data. It is found that the aggregation of TMPyP observed at the porphyrin excess reduces its total fluorescence intensity (JT) and the T-T absorption. At low IS the JT and the T-T absorption for the TMPyP monomers bound to the GC DNA sites are lower than those for the free ones, whereas binding to the AT sites (high IS) increases JT. At low IS the triplet decay of TMPyP is mono-exponential, the lifetime increasing with the [DNA] increase, while at high IS the addition of DNA transforms this profile to a bi-exponential form with lifetimes of the components independent of [DNA]. Binding to DNA reduces the quenching constants of the porphyrin triplet states by molecular oxygen (kq), the effect depending on the site and mode of binding. So, at low IS the kq value for the TMPyP externally bound to the GC sites (3.0 x 10(8) M-1 s-1) is five times lower than that for the free porphyrin and twice as high as that for the intercalated one. At high IS the TMPyP binding reduces the kq three-fold for the AT sites in the minor groove and 16-fold in the major groove as compared with the free one (approximately or equal to 1.6 x 10(9) M-1 s-1).

Tumor-localizing fluorescent diagnostic agents without phototoxicity

In order to develop tumor-localizing fluorescent diagnostic agents without phototoxicity, various heterodimers linked by some spacers between a chlorine derivative and its Mn or Cu complex were synthesized. The representative agent of them was named HAT-DO1 and has a molecular formula of m-phthalyl-([13,17-bispropanoic acid-3-ethenyl-8-formylethylidene-7-hydroxy-2,7,12,18-tetramethyl- porphyrinate]-manganese (III))-[3'-ethenyl-8'-formylethylidene-7'-hydroxy-2',7',12',18'-te tramethyl- porphine-13',17'-bispropanoyl aspartic acid]-bishydrazone.

Photocytotoxicity of water-soluble metalloporphyrin derivatives

A new water-soluble porphyrin derivative, 2,4-bis(1-decyloxyethyl)-deuteroporphyrinyl-6,7-bisaspart ic acid (C10-DP), and its metal complexes (Ga, I(n), Zn, Mn, Cu, Ni and Fe) were examined for their physicochemical properties (absorption, fluorescence, triplet lifetime and partition coefficient) and photocytotoxicity on HeLa cells. The five derivatives with longer (> 1 ms) triplet lifetimes (free base, Zn, Ga, I(n) and Sn complexes) exhibited remarkable photocytotoxicity, and the other derivatives (Mn, Cu, Ni and Fe), which had or were deduced to have fairly short (< 0.01 ms) triplet lifetimes, manifested no photocytotoxicity, indicating that the triplet lifetime of these derivatives played a significant role in their photocytotoxicity. Cellular fluorescence due to C10-DP and its gallium complex was observed mainly on the plasma membrane at the concentrations showing significant photocytotoxicity with low (< 32.6%) cytotoxicity in the dark (2-10 microM).

111In-labeled Mn-metalloporphyrin for tumor imaging

We synthesized and developed a new tumor imaging agent, 111In-labeled metalloporphyrin (111In-ATN-10) which consists of a carrier (ATN-10) of the tumor imaging possessing both a non-radioactive manganese complex in the porphyrin ring and a bifunctional chelating group (DTPA) attached to its side chain. The images of the three kinds of tumors were delineated more clearly by 111In-ATN-10 than 67Ga-citrate. Moreover, there was no photosensitivity in ATN-10. 111In-ATN-10 is studied as a new tumor positive scintigraphic agent instead of 67Ga-citrate.

The mechanism of photosensitization in photodynamic therapy: chemiluminescence caused by photosensitization of porphyrins in saline containing human serum albumin

Chemiluminescence (CL) caused by photosensitization of porphyrins in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution containing 3% human serum albumin (HSA) was observed for the first time. Irrespective of porphyrins concerned, CL shows a spectrum ranging from 380 to 520 nm with a peak near 450 nm and decays almost single-exponentially with a lifetime of about 15 s. The intensity of CL depends on concentrations of porphyrins and HSA in PBS solution. We have examined a number of porphyrins and observed CL for the compounds with triplet lifetimes longer than 0.1 ms. The appearance and quenching of CL by photosensitization of porphyrin-HSA systems indicate that type II reaction by singlet oxygen occurs significantly in photodynamic therapy resulting in hypoxic regions in environments surrounding the sensitizer.