Fluorescence diffuse tomography of small animals with DsRed2 fluorescent protein

Fluorescent compounds are used as markers to diagnose oncological diseases, to study molecular processes typical for carcinogenesis, and to investigate metastasis formation and tumor regress under the influence of therapeutics. Different types of tomography, such as continuous wave (CW), frequency-domain (FD), and time-domain (TD) tomography, allow fluorescence imaging of tumors located deep in human or animal tissue. In this work, preliminary results of the frequency domain fluorescent diffuse tomography (FDT) method in application to DsRed2 protein as a fluorescent agent are presented. For the first step of our experiments, we utilized low-frequency amplitude modulation (1 kHz) of second harmonic of Nd: YAG (532 nm). The transilluminative configuration was used in the setup. The results of post mortem experiments with capsules containing DsRed2 inserted inside the esophagus of a 3-day-old hairless rat to simulate tumor are shown. An algorithm of processing fluorescent images based on calculating the zero of maximum curvature has been applied to detect fluorescent inclusion boundaries in the image. This work demonstrates the potential capability of the FDT method for imaging deep fluorescent tumors in human tissue or animal models of human cancer. Improvement of the setup can be accomplished by using high-frequency modulation (using a 110-MHz acoustooptical modulator).     

Novel regular polyimide‐graft‐(polymethacrylic acid) brushes: Synthesis and possible applications as nanocontainers of cyanoporphyrazine agents for photodynamic therapy

An approach to the synthesis of new regular graft‐copolymers polyimide (PI)‐graft‐polymethacrylic acid is elaborated, including (1) synthesis of multicenter PI macroinitiators, (2) controlled ATRP of tert‐butylmethacrylate on the prepared macroinitiators, and (3) protonolysis of tert‐butyl ester groups of side chains of the resulting PI‐graft‐poly(tert‐butylmethacrylate). Experimental conditions for attaining complete conversions of the first and the third stages of the process are determined by means of ¹H NMR and FTIR‐spectroscopy. Polymer products of the first and the second stages of the process, as well as poly(tert‐butylmethacrylate) side chains cleaved from the PI‐graft‐poly(tert‐butylmethacrylate) copolymers by complete decomposition of the PI backbone under alkaline hydrolysis conditions, are characterized by GPC. The kinetics of poly(tert‐butylmethacrylate) chain growth on a PI macroinitiator under ATRP conditions are studied. The results obtained provide evidence for the controlled character of the ATRP process and the regular structure of the synthesized graft‐copolymers. It is shown that PI‐g‐PMAA PI brushes are significantly more efficient intracellular delivery agents for the potential photosensitizer [tetra(4‐fluorophenyl)tetracyanoporhyrazine free base] than are the commonly used PEG‐micelles. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4267–4281     

Cytostatic action of triazole and oxazolidinone derivatives

We synthesized a number of derivatives of 1,2,3-benzotriazole, 1,2,4-triazole, and oxazolidine-2-one derivatives, among which compounds suppressing the growth of the tumor cells HeLa and H1299 were revealed. The studies of the effect of these compounds on the cell cycle and activity of caspase dependent degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase showed that these compounds at the IC₅₀ doses exhibit cytostatic effect on tumor cells. In the MCF7 cells, these compounds induce an increase in expression of the tumor suppressor p53.     

Synthesis of fluorescent coumarin triazolylglycosides

A series of coumarin triazolylglycosides were synthesized in good yields using copper-mediated 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of carbohydrate azides and 4-alkynyl-substituted coumarins. Several of the products show strong luminescence in the 490-560 nm region and are compatible with surface imaging applications.     

Cyanoarylporphyrazines with High Viscosity Sensitivity: A Step towards Dosimetry-Assisted Photodynamic Cancer Treatment

Despite the significant relevance of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an efficient strategy for primary and adjuvant anticancer treatment, several challenges compromise its efficiency. In order to develop an “ideal photosensitizer” and the requirements applied to photosensitizers for PDT, there is still a need for new photodynamic agents with improved photophysical and photobiological properties. In this study, we performed a detailed characterization of two tetracyanotetra(aryl)porphyrazine dyes with 4-biphenyl (pz II) and 4-diethylaminophenyl (pz IV) groups in the periphery of the porphyrazine macrocycle. Photophysical properties, namely, fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime of both photosensitizers, demonstrate extremely high dependence on the viscosity of the environment, which enables them to be used as viscosity sensors. Pz II and pz IV easily enter cancer cells and efficiently induce cell death under light irradiation. Using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, we demonstrated the possibility of assessing local intracellular viscosity and visualizing viscosity changes driven by PDT treatment with the compounds. Thus, pz II and pz IV combine the features of potent photodynamic agents and viscosity sensors. These data suggest that the unique properties of the compounds provide a tool for PDT dosimetry and tailoring the PDT treatment regimen to the individual characteristics of each patient.     

Novel Cyanoarylporphyrazines with Triazole Groups at the Macrocycle Periphery as Potential Sensibilizers of Photodynamic Therapy and Optical Probes of Intracellular Viscosity

Novel fluorescent dyes of the cyanoarylporphyrazine series containing peripheral triazole groups have been synthesized. Their photophysical properties and the local viscosity effect on the fluorescence have been studied. The experiments with cell cultures have revealed rapid accumulation of the dyes in the cells cytoplasm. Photo- and dark cytotoxicity of the compounds have been evaluated by means of the MTT test.     

Cytotoxic properties of the nitrosyl iron complex with phenylthiyl

Nitrosyl compounds based on the iron-sulfur clusters are a promising class of inorganic nitric oxide donors. We studied cytotoxic properties of one of such NO donors, viz., the nitrosyl [2Fe-2S] complex with phenyl ligands (Ph-complex). The Ph-complex induces the HeLa and H1299 tumor cell death. The Ph-complex and cisplatin used in combination exhibit synergistic cytotoxicity. During studies of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase degradation, it was found that the HeLa cell death induced by the Ph-complex proceeds presumably by the mechanism of apoptosis. In the MCF7 cells, the Ph-complex causes induction of p53 protein expression and changes in its apparent molecular weight.     

Liposomal Form of Tetra(Aryl)Tetracyanoporphyrazine: Physical Properties and Photodynamic Activity In Vitro

Tetra(aryl)tetracyanoporphyrazines are the promising group of dyes for photodynamic therapy of tumors with unique combination of photosensitizer properties and sensitivity of fluorescence parameters to the environment viscosity. However, in vivo application of such hydrophobic photosensitizers requires using of drug carriers ensuring efficient delivery to the tumor site. The present study is focused on obtaining liposomes loaded with tetrakis(4-benzyloxyphenyl)tetracyanoporphyrazine and examining their properties depending on lipid composition. An efficient loading of the dye and a high long-term stability were proved for the liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine with cholesterol and phosphatidylglycerol. This can be explained by the presence of negatively charged lipids in the bilayer and, as a consequence, a high value of the surface potential. A high rate of cellular uptake and a strong photoinduced toxicity give the prerequisites for the further use of the liposomal form of the photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy of tumors.     

New porphyrazine macrocycles with high viscosity-sensitive fluorescence parameters

New tetraaryltetracyanoporphyrazines have been obtained in the form of metal complexes and free bases via template assembly of a variety of aryltricyanoethylenes as structural units of the macrocycle, and photophysical properties of the products have been studied. The unique high sensitivity of the fluorescent properties to viscosity has been demonstrated. This property opens the possibility of application of the said compounds as sensors of local viscosity. The prepared macrocycles exhibit significant photocytotoxicity, and can be thus used as sensitizers of photodynamic therapy.     

Porphyrazine Structures with Electron-Withdrawing Substituents as the Base for Materials for Photonics and Biomedicine

A survey of the studies dealing with the development of new porphyrazine type tetrapyrrole dyes promising for the application in photonics and biophotonics is presented. An original synthetic approach to the template assembly of the porphyrazine macrocycle at room temperature in high yield has been proposed. A porphyrazine macrocycle containing eight nitrile groups at the periphery has been prepared for the first time. The replacement of four nitrile groups in the macrocycle by aryl groups has been found to generate a unique porphyrazine structure demonstrating a fluorescent molecular rotor behavior, i.e., a strong dependence of fluorescence parameters (quantum yields and lifetimes) on the viscosity of the medium. Some aspects of possible applications of the obtained compounds in biophotonics are described. Good prospects for the use of these compounds as efficient agents for tumor diagnosis, sensitizers for photodynamic therapy, and probes for intracellular viscosity are outlined.