Photobinding of 8-methoxypsoralen, 4,6,4'-trimethylangelicin and chlorpromazine to Wistar rat epidermal biomacromolecules in vivo.

Photoinduced binding of drugs to endogenous biomacromolecules may cause both toxic and therapeutic effects. For example, photobinding of certain phenothiazines to biomolecules possibly underlies their phototoxic and photoallergic potential, whereas photobinding of furocoumarins to epidermal DNA is held responsible for their advantageous effects in the photochemotherapy of psoriasis. Usually, the in vitro photobinding of drugs is investigated. However, under in vivo conditions, the metabolism and distribution of the drug and the light absorption by endogenous compounds will significantly affect the photobinding of drugs to biomolecules. Therefore, in the present study, the photobinding of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), 4,6,4'-trimethylangelicin (TMA) (two therapeutically used furocoumarins) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) (a member of the phenothiazines) was investigated in vivo. The compounds were applied topically on the shaven skin of Wistar rats; one group was exposed to UVA and the other was kept in a dimly lit environment. Immediately, and at certain time intervals after UVA exposure, members of the two groups were sacrificed. By separating epidermal lipids, DNA/RNA and proteins by a selective extraction method, irreversible binding of 8-MOP, TMA or CPZ to each of these biomacromolecules was determined. In contrast with in vitro experiments, photobinding of CPZ to epidermal DNA/RNA was not found in vivo; apparently the bioavailability in the nucleus is very low. Compared with TMA, 8-MOP was observed to bind more extensively to epidermal DNA/RNA (again in contrast with findings from in vitro experiments) and proteins, but less extensively to lipids. The rates of removal of photobound 8-MOP and TMA were comparable. Photobound CPZ was more slowly removed from epidermal proteins and lipids than the furocoumarins. The observed in vivo photobinding is discussed with respect to the UVA-induced (side) effects of these drugs.     

PHOTOREACTION OF PSORALEN DERIVATIVES WITH STRUCTURALLY ORGANIZED DNA

Abstract— The DNA-photobinding process of a number of psoralen derivatives has been investigated using different nucleic acid structures, such as double helical DNA, nucleosomes, and chromatin under various ionic strength conditions. Important differences were observed using "free" vs organised DNA as the target macromolecule, which are related to conformational, stereochemical, ionic and competition effects. The furocoumarin chemical nature also plays a role; in particular, charged compounds are shown to be more reactive than uncharged analogues with free DNA at low salt concentration, whereas a levelling off in photobinding efficiency occurs on increasing ionic strength and nucleic acid complexity. These results allow an explanation for the photobiological effects of the examined psoralens.     

PHOTOBINDING OF PSORALEN AND 8-METHOXYPSORALEN TO CALF THYMUS DNA

Abstract— The photobinding of psoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen to calf thymus DNA induced by 365 nm radiation has been measured for different concentrations of the furocoumarin and nucleotides. The results are consistent with the assumption that dark complexing of the furocoumarin to DNA is a pre-condition for photobinding, but do not exclude the possibility that the free furocoumarin participates in the reactions. The analysis with 'large target' diffusion theory indicates that photobinding should be inefficient for the free excited singlet state and competitive with reactions of the dark-complexed sensitizer for the free triplet state. The analysis indicates also that the diffusive reactions of singlet oxygen generated by the free furocoumarin can compete with photoadduct formation.     

Dark and Photochemical Interactions of Dimethyltetrahydrobenzoangelicin with DNA

A study of dark interaction and photoreaction between 4,6-dimethyltetrahydrobenzoangelicin (THBA) and DNA is described. 4,6-Dimethyltetrahydrobenzoangelicin is a furocoumarin derivative in which 4'and 5'carbons are linked by a four-methylene bridge. In spite of the bulky aliphatic ring, THBA forms a complex with DNA in the dark and, on UVA irradiation, reacts with pyrimidine bases of DNA yielding monoadducts only involving its furan side double bond. Two main photoproducts form: they derive from a C₄-cycloaddition to thymine and cytosine, respectively, and account for 56% and 39% of the total photoreaction yield. Both show cis-syn configuration. Two other isomers, one with thymine and one with cytosine, formed with so much lower yield ( ca 3 and 1%, respectively) that their structure could not be assigned. Furthermore, in spite of its angular structure, THBA induces a small number of crosslinks in DNA.     

Photosensitization of DNA of defined sequence by furochromones, khellin and visnagin

The sequence specificity in the in vitro DNA photobinding of khellin and visnagin, two naturally occurring furochromones proposed for chemotherapy of vitiligo, was investigated by using DNA sequencing methodology. The 3'-5' exonuclease associated with the T4 DNA polymerase served as a tool for determining photoadducts distribution on DNA fragments of the lac I gene of Escherichia coli. The photoadduct distribution of psoralen is also studied for comparison. Upon UVA irradiation, visnagin mainly forms monoadducts with thymine and to a lower extent with cytosine. Alternating (A-T)n sequences are hot spots for visnagin photoaddition. This is a property shared with furocoumarins. TTT sites are also quite reactive to visnagin, as they are to methylated angelicins. In contrast, with psoralen derivatives, there is no preferential photobinding in 5'-TpA sites, and 5'-ApT sites react as well. Furthermore, many sites such as T in the GC context, and C in any context, react, although weakly. The visnagin photoadduct distribution resembles very much the photoadduct distribution of methylated angelicins as described by Miolo et al. The photoreaction of these two series of compounds is less sequence dependent than the photobinding of psoralen derivatives as described by Sage and Moustacchi and by Boyer et al. The sequence specificity in khellin-DNA photobinding is the same as for visnagin, even though it forms much fewer photoadducts. The absence of photo-oxidation of DNA after treatment with visnagin or khellin plus UVA suggests that furochromones do not present any photodynamic effect on DNA.     

THE EFFECT OF PSORALENS AND ANGELICINS ON PROTEINS IN THE PRESENCE OF UV-A IRRADIATION

Abstract— The photobinding to proteins of furocoumarins with linear and angular structure (psoralens and angelicins) has been found to occur at relatively high fluences of UV-A irradiation (66.5 kJm²). The extent of photobinding between serum albumin and the investigated furocoumarins (psoralen, 8-methylpsoralen, 8-methoxypsoralen, angelicin and 4,5'-dimethylangelicin) varies largely with the furocoumarin structure and is correlated with the extent of photodegradation of the same furocoumarins when irradiated alone in aqueous solution. On the other hand, for each furocoumarin, the extent of photobinding varies considerably with different proteins.     

PHOTOBINDING OF PSORALENS TO BACTERIAL MACROMOLECULES IN SITU AND INDUCTION OF GENETIC EFFECTS IN A BACTERIAL TEST SYSTEM. EFFECTS OF SINGLET OXYGEN DIAGNOSTIC AIDS D2O AND DABCO

The photobinding of radiolabeled psoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) to biological macromolecules under conditions that affect the lifetime of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) is reported. These conditions are: increase of ¹O₂ lifetime in D₂O and ¹O₂ quenching with DABCO. The photobinding to calf thymus DNA was studied in vitro and the covalent photobinding to DNA and other biological macromolecules (RNA, proteins) was also studied in intact bacteria. The results of the DNA photobinding experiments have been related to the induction of genetic damage in a bacterial test system. In addition, laser flash photolysis has been used to measure the effect of D₂O and DABCO on the psoralen and 8-MOP triplet lifetimes. In general D₂O increases the triplet lifetimes and DABCO quenches the triplet states with the probable formation of radicals. The results suggest that the covalent photobinding of 8-MOP to various biological macromolecules in situ is a basis for cell damage occurring at various cellular targets. Analysis of the results of the mutagenicity test suggests that in the presence of D₂O the mechanism of induction of genetic lesions is not changed and therefore largely seems to be independent of singlet oxygen.     

PHOTOBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF 3,4''-DIMETHYL-8-METHOXYPSORALEN, A LINEAR FUROCOUMARIN WITH UNUSUAL DNA-BINDING PROPERTIES

The furocoumarin derivative 3,4'-dimethyl-8-methoxypsoralen (DMe-8-MOP) exhibits remarkable antiproliferative activity, but is devoid of skin phototoxicity. To gain insight into this peculiar behaviour we investigated non-covalent and covalent binding of DMe-8-MOP to calf thymus DNA, along with DNA-synthesis inhibition and mutagenic activity. The non-covalent interaction of DMe-8-MOP with the nucleic acid is quite poor as shown by equilibrium dialysis, spectroscopic, chiroptical and hydrodynamic techniques. However, it exhibits relevant photobinding ability to DNA using both isolated nucleic acid samples and cellular systems. Unlike the large majority of congeners, DMe-8-MOP undergoes predominantly photochemical monoaddition to the double helical polynucleotide. Upon examination of the products obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of DMe-8-MOP photomodified DNA, the formation of an unusual furan side adduct is proposed, which could account for the peculiar photochemical and photobiological properties of the 3,4'-dimethyl furocoumarin derivative.     

Synthetic models related to dna-intercalating molecules a study of the ring-ring stacking interactions between 8-alkoxypsoralen and thymine.

As a contribution to the problem of the intercalation and photobinding of psoralens to DNA, model compounds were prepared in which the psoralen ring is linked to thymine by a polymethylene bridge. The ring-ring intramolecular interaction in the models was assessed by hypochromism measurement in the UV.     

MONOADDITION OF DICTAMNINE TO SYNTHETIC DOUBLE-STRANDED POLYDEOXYRIBONUCLEOTIDES IN UVA AND THE EFFECT OF PHOTOMODIFIED DNA ON TEMPLATE ACTIVITY

Abstract— The photoreactivity of dictamnine, a furoquinoline alkaloid, towards different synthetic DNAs has been studied. The ratio of the photobinding of [₃H]-dictamnine to poly(dA-dT) poly(dA-dT): poly(dG-dC) poly(dG-dC): poly(dA-dU) poly(dA-dU): poly(dA) poly(dT), in relation to that of calf thymus DNA, is 18:1:0.5:0.3. Prior treatment of calf thymus DNA with dictamnine in light inhibits the subsequent incorporation of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP). These results suggest that the sites in DNA for the photobinding of dictamnine are probably identical with those for monoad-ducts of 8-MOP. Furthermore, the template activity of photomodified DNA in the RNA polymerase reaction is considerably inhibited for poly(dA-dT)poly(dA-dT), to a lesser extent for calf thymus DNA, but almost not affected for the linear copolymer, poly(dA)-poly(dT).     

SPECTROSCOPIC PROPERTIES AND PHOTOREACTIVITY WITH DNA OF NEW MONOFUNCTIONAL PYRIDOPSORALENS

Abstract— New psoralen derivatives have been synthesized in order to enhance their affinity towards DNA. The spectral properties (absorption, fluorescence emission, fluorescence quantum yield) and the photostability of pyrido[3,4-c]psoralen are first reported. The drastic changes observed in the solubility and in the fluorescence emission when these compounds are added to native DNA give evidence of the formation of non covalent dark complexes. Upon UV irradiation (365 nm) of the complexes, a photobinding occurs. Heat denaturation and renaturation experiments of modified DNA show that only monoadducts are formed. From the analysis of their fluorescence properties the involvement of the 4', 5' double bond is assumed. The monofunctional character has also been established for psoralens having a fused pyridine ring in the 4', 5' site. On the opposite, a fused tetrahydropyrido group in the 4', 5' site is inefficient to inactivate this reactive site.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN XANTHYLETINE AND DNA

Abstract— Xanthyletine, a dimethyl-pyranocoumarin having a structural relationship to psoralen, has been studied in connection with its interaction with DNA. In the dark, it forms a weak molecular complex with DNA, which is not of the intercalated type. Under irradiation at 365nm, it is able to bind covalently to DNA, with, however, a much lower rate relative to psoralen. In this photobinding, it behaves as a pure monofunctional reagent, involving only its 3 ,4-double bond of the α-pyronic ring.
3-(α,α-dimethyl-allyl)-xanthyletine, studied for a comparison, showed only a very low photoreactivity with DNA for covalent addition; this is attributed to the presence of a bulky group at position 3 , which prevents almost completely the photoreaction of the 3 ,4-double bond.
Because of the low capacity of photobinding with DNA and the inability to form cross-links, the photobiological effects of xanthyletine are accordingly reduced: Inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, killing of E. coli bacterial cells, inactivation of T₂ bacteriophage have been observed. By contrast, it was inactive in producing erythema on guinea pig skin.     

SEQUENCE SPECIFICITY OF TETRAHYDROBENZOPSORALEN PHOTOBINDING TO DNA

Abstract— The sequence specificity of photobinding to DNA of two tetrahydrobenzopsoralen derivatives has been investigated by testing the photoreactivity toward a number of self-complementary oligonucleotides. The thermodynamic constant for noncovalent binding to each DNA sequence was evaluated. The extent of photoreactivity was greatly dependent upon base composition. The two tetracyclic compounds show similar behavior in comparison to other bifunctional derivatives. Their overall rate constants were greatly enhanced in comparison to classical psoralens. However, their high efficiency of covalent binding is counterbalanced by low affinity for noncovalent interaction with DNA.     

Metal to ligand charge transfer induced DNA photobinding in a Ru(II)-Pt(II) supramolecule using red light in the therapeutic window: a new mechanism for DNA modification

The Ru(II)-Pt(II) supramolecular complex, [(Ph(2)phen)(2)Ru(dpp)PtCl(2)](2+), displays a new mechanism for DNA modification: photobinding through a (3)MLCT excited state. Gel shift analysis, selective DNA precipitation, and DNA melting point experiments support efficient covalent DNA binding following visible light excitation.     

Photodegradation and Photobinding of Tiaprofenic Acid: in vitro Versus in vivo

Abstract— The photoreactivity of the photosensitizing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug tiaprofenic acid (TA) and its photoproduct decarboxytiaprofenic acid (DTA) was studied both in the presence and in the absence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The photoproduct DTA was found to be photostable in buffered aqueous solution at pH 7.4, but photodecomposed when BSA was present in the reaction medium. Both TA and DTA underwent irreversible photobinding to BSA in an almost quantitative way, as evidenced by radioactivity measurements using labeled (3H) compounds. In the case of TA, it has been proven that photobinding is mainly attributable to the phototoreactivity of in situ -generated DTA. The photo-degradation and photobinding of TA were also investigated in the epidermis in vivo. Rats were exposed to UVA after application of TA to their shaven dorsal skin. During the initial periods of irradiation, the amount of TA decreased sharply, and the yield of the corresponding photoproduct (DTA) reached a maximum. Prolonged irradiation led to photodegradation of DTA. In vivo photobinding was studied using 3H-TA. Photobinding took place slowly at the beginning, but its rate increased sharply after complete photoconversion of TA, when the photoproduct DTA reached the maximum concentration. Thereafter, the decrease of DTA was more pronounced than that of TA. This indicates thatalso in vivoDTA rather than TA is responsible for the photobinding to biomacromolecules in the viable layer of the epidermis. Overall, the above results suggest that irradiation of TA in buffered aqueous solution, in the presence of proteins, is a reasonable model system to study the photodegradation and photobinding behavior of this drug in vivo. From the qualitative point of view, the main conclusion is that DTA plays a key role both in vivo and in vitro: it is the major photoproduct, it undergoes further photodegradation upon prolonged irradiation, and it appears to be responsible for the photobinding process.     

Photobinding of ketoprofen in vitro and ex vivo

Ketoprofen (KP), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of the 2-aryl propionic class, has been shown to produce photoallergic side effects as well as cutaneous photosensitizing properties that induce other phototoxic effects. In the present study we investigated photobinding of ketoprofen to both human serum albumin (HSA), a model protein, and to ex vivo pig skin and its photodegradation. Results demonstrate that photoadduct formation and photodegradation progressively increased with irradiation time where they reach a maximum. Maximum photobinding to the viable layer of the epidermis was about 7-8% of the initial radiolabelled KP added, in the region of 15-30 min UV irradiation. These results were comparable to in vitro results that were seen with photobinding of KP to HSA; in this case, the quantity of covalently bound material was approximately 10% of the initial, after a maximum of 18 min irradiation. It was found by HPLC analysis that the KP decrease is accompanied by an increase of the corresponding photoproduct, decarboxylated ketoprofen (DKP). The yield of DKP reaches a maximum at around 15 min. DKP appears to play an important role in vitro and ex vivo, being the major photoproduct and responsible for the photobinding process. Using micro-autoradiographical techniques we investigated the penetration and distribution of ketoprofen in ex vivo pig skin in greater detail. It was apparent that percutaneous absorption was taking place and that most of the ketoprofen was predominately localised in fibroblasts in the papillary dermis. No other specific localisation within the skin architecture was identified. Although there were differences in the quantities of bound ketoprofen within the different layers of the skin, these levels did not appear to correlate with irradiation time.     

PHOTOCHEMICAL BINDING OF PHENOTHIAZINES ON BIOLOGICAL MEMBRANE PROTEINS

Abstract— The photobinding of phenothiazine derivatives (chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, promazine and promethazine) was studied on four different types of biological membranes (microsomes, myelin and synaptosomes from rat brain as well as human erythrocytes). The photoreaction was performed by ultraviolet irradiation of the tritiated compounds in their long wavelength absorption band (313 nm) and bound photoproducts were analysed by autoradiography of the proteins separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The specificity of binding is low, however, a 34000 dalton band is intensely labeled on synaptic membranes with chlorpromazine and fluphenazine. All the phenothiazines bind on erythrocyte membrane proteins and specially on band 4.2 and on a peptide located before actin on the electrophoresis gel. These results show the generality of the phenothiazine photobinding on membrane proteins. These photobinding properties can be used for the identification and localization of some of these proteins.     

MUTAGENIC AND RECOMBINOGENIC ACTION OF DNA MONOADDUCTS PHOTOINDUCED BY THE BIFUNCTIONAL FUROCOUMARIN 8-METHOXYPSORALEN IN YEAST (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Abstract— For the same furocoumarin 8-MOP and the same total number of photoadditions, the genetic activity of DNA monoadducts and a mixture of mono- and biadducts photoinduced by the bifunctional furocoumarin 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) is compared in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the presence of 8-MOP, 405 nm irradiation induces only monoadducts, whereas 365 nm irradiation induces mono- and biadducts (interstrand cross-links) in DNA. This is shown by heat denaturation-renaturation experiments on calf thymus DNA treated in vitro and by alkaline step elution analysis of DNA from treated yeast cells. For the same photobinding of tritiated 8-MOP to DNA in diploid yeast, about 20 times higher doses are needed with 405 nm than with 365 nm irradiation. Re-irradiation experiments reveal that part of the monoadducts induced by 8-MOP and 405 nm irradiation can be effectively converted into DNA interstrand cross-links by exposures to 365 nm radiation after washing-out of unbound 8-MOP molecules. 8-MOP and 405 nm irradiation induce per lethal hit cytoplasmic "petite" mutations in yeast as efficiently as the monofunctional furocoumarin 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs) and 365 nm irradiation, both treatments being much more efficient than 8-MOP and 365 nm irradiation. At equal survival, treatments with 8-MOP and 405 nm radiation are clearly less efficient than treatments with 8-MOP and 365 nm radiation for the induction of forward ( CAN *) and reverse ( HIS +) mutations in haploïd yeast and for the induction of mutations ( ILV +) and genetically aberrant colonies including mitotic crossing-over in diploid yeast. The two treatments are equally efficient for the induction of mitotic gene conversion. At equal photobinding of 8-MOP, the monoadducts induced by 405 nm irradiation are found less effective than the mixture of mono-and biadducts induced by 365 nm irradiation for the induction of cell killing, mutations and mitotic recombination.     

IRREVERSIBLE PHOTOBINDING TO SKIN CONSTITUENTS AFTER SYSTEMIC ADMINISTRATION OF CHLORPROMAZINE TO WISTAR RATS

From in vitro experiments it is known that chlorpromazine binds to protein and DNA/ RNA upon UV-irradiation. In the present study the possible photobinding of chlorpromazine (or its metabolites) in vivo was examined. Tritium labeled drug was administered intraperitoneally to female albino Wistar rats after which they were irradiated with light with maximum intensity at 310, 370 or 420 nm. After homogenization, unbound radioactivity in tissue of several organs was removed by dialysis. In the ears, eyes and skin of the back irreversibly bound radioactivity could be detected after irradiation with 310- and 370- but not with 420 nm light. Binding in the skin of the back after UVA irradiation was examined in more detail by separating epidermal lipids, DNA/RNA and proteins by a selective extraction/precipitation method. Radioactivity appeared to be bound to lipids and proteins but not to DNA/RNA.     

2,2-Dimethyl-5-(5-R-furfurylidene)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones. 3. Selective hydrogenation of the exocyclic double bond and three-dimensional structures of the reaction products

The reaction of 2,2-dimethyl-5-(5-R-furfurylidene)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones with sodium borohydride in alcohol leads exclusively to products of hydrogenation of the exocyclic double bond. The three-dimensional structure of one of them — 2,2-dimethyl-5-(5-methyl-furfuryl)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dioxane — was investigated by x-ray diffraction analysis (XDA).See [1] for Communication 2.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 9, pp. 1201–1207, September, 1989.