A PULSED LASER AND PULSE RADIOLYSIS STUDY OF AMPHIPHILIC CHLOROPHYLL DERIVATIVES WITH PDT ACTIVITY TOWARD MALIGNANT MELANOMA

Two amphiphilic derivatives of chlorophyll, which have high potential as photodynamic therapy sensitizers for malignant melanoma have been investigated by a combination of laser flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis. It is shown that direct excitation of monomeric forms of these molecules in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic environments produces significant yields of the corresponding triplet states, which have been characterized in terms of spectral and kinetic parameters. In both environments, scavenging of the triplets by oxygen produces singlet oxygen, O₂(^lΔ₈), with essentially unit efficiency as evidenced by time-resolved IR luminescence measurements.     

Indirect UV detection of carbohydrates in capillary zone electrophoresis

Summary A new system for the rapid and sensitive analysis of underivatized carbohydrates has been established using capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect UV detection. At an applied potential of 28 kV, sugars and sugar acids could be separated by the combined effects of electroendosmosis and electrophoresis within 20 minutes in a fused silica capillary of 50 m internal diameter and an effective length of 100 cm using 6mM sorbic acid, pH 12.1, as both carrier electrolytie and chromophore. The alkaline pH ensured ionization of the sugars and, hence, their detection by means of charge displacement. Furthermore, the chosen concentration of sorbic acid allowed the smallest fractional change in the background signal to be measured. While the electrophoretic mobilities of the sugars were found to increase within a pH range of 11.9 to 12.3, those of the sugar acids were not affected. Due to the increasing competition of hydroxide ions in the displacement of the chromophore with rising pH, a significant loss of sensitivity is observed at pH values higher than 12.1 and this pH was found to provide sufficient resolution, optimum sensitivity, and a acceptably short analysis time. Under these conditions, a lower detection limit of 2 pmol was obtained for glucose.     

Uranylacetat als Sprühreagens in der Dünnschichtchromatographie

Zusammenfassung Sprüht man eine l%ige wäßrige Lösung von Uranylacetat auf eine mit Kieselgel G beschichtete Platte, so erhält man nach dem Trocknen eine gelbgrüne Fluoreszenz im UV (254 nm), die durch zahlreiche Stoffe gelöscht wird. Dies kann zum Nachweis der verschiedensten Substanzen nach ihrer dünnschichtchromatographischen Trennung verwendet werden. Beispiele für die Erfassungsgrenzen werden angegeben.

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Summary If a 1% aqueous solution of uranyl acetate is sprayed on a plate carrying a layer of silica gel G and then dried, there results a yellow-green fluorescence in UV (254 nm) that is quenched by numerous materials. This finding can be employed for the detection of the most varied substances after they have been separated by thin layer Chromatographic procedures. Examples of the sensitivity limits are given.

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Résumé Si l'on vaporise une solution aqueuse à 1% d'acétate d'uranyle sur une plaque recouverte de gel de silice G, on obtient après séchage une fluorescence vert-jaune dans l'UV (254 nm), éteinte par de nombreuses substances. On peut utiliser ce phénomène pour la recherche de substances très variées après leur séparation par Chromatographie en couche mince. On donne des exemples pour les limites de dilution.

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Wir danken der Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung, die diese Arbeit durch ein Stipendium (H. S.) ermöglieht hat.     

Combined OX40 Agonist and PD-1 Inhibitor Immunotherapy Improves the Efficacy of Vascular Targeted Photodynamic Therapy in a Urothelial Tumor Model

Purpose: Vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) is a nonsurgical tumor ablation approach used to treat early-stage prostate cancer and may also be effective for upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) based on preclinical data. Toward increasing response rates to VTP, we evaluated its efficacy in combination with concurrent PD-1 inhibitor/OX40 agonist immunotherapy in a urothelial tumor-bearing model. Experimental design: In mice allografted with MB-49 UTUC cells, we compared the effects of combined VTP with PD-1 inhibitor/OX40 agonist with those of the component treatments on tumor growth, survival, lung metastasis, and antitumor immune responses. Results: The combination of VTP with both PD-1 inhibitor and OX40 agonist inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival to a greater degree than VTP with either immunotherapeutic individually. These effects result from increased tumor infiltration and intratumoral proliferation of cytotoxic and helper T cells, depletion of Treg cells, and suppression of myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that VTP synergizes with PD-1 blockade and OX40 agonist to promote strong antitumor immune responses, yielding therapeutic efficacy in an animal model of urothelial cancer.     

Photodynamics of the bacteriochlorophyll-carotenoid system. 2. Influence of central metal,solvent and beta-carotene on photobleaching of bacteriochlorophyll derivatives

Bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) derivatives (with central Mg replaced by metal "M") ([M]-BChl with M = 2H, Mg, Zn, Pd, Cu) have been investigated for their photodynamic capacity and stability toward photodegradation in organic solvents and aqueous micellar solution. A protocol has been developed for screening new sensitizers. BChl and [Zn]-BChl are efficient sensitizers, but they are also quickly degraded by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by autosensitization, as well as by hetero-sensitization with 17(4)-methyl-13(2)-demethoxycarbonyl-pheophorbide a (MPP). Photostable [Cu]-BChl is a poor sensitizer, whereas [Pd]-BChl and bacteriopheophytin a are not only very efficient sensitizers but are also very stable toward ROS. beta-Carotene is no efficient physical quencher of ROS in the system; rather, it acts as a photochemical quencher that competes with [M]-BChl and undergoes photooxygenation at high rates. Photolability seems to depend on the pigment oxidation potential and, in parallel, on the presence of central metals preferring coordination numbers higher than 4, whereas photodynamic capacity depends on long excited state life-times of the pigment or efficient intersystem crossing (or both).     

Symmetry adapted harmonic oscillator functions

Quantum mechanical excited energy states of two- or three-dimensional harmonic oscillators are highly degenerate. A general method is presented to calculate the symmetry adapted quantum mechanical oscillator functions with respect to the symmetry group of the oscillator. In the special case of the tetrahedral symmetry group the method is demonstrated by detailed formulas for the two- and three-dimensional case. A computer program is also available. The method can easily be modified for other symmetry groups.     

Dünnschichtchromatographie der Dicarbon- und Hydroxycarbonsäuren

Zusammenfassung Dünnschichtchromatographische Trennungen von Dicarbon- und Hydroxycarbonsäuren werden beschrieben. Als Trägersubstanzen dienten Kieselgel, Kieselgel-Kieselgur-Mischungen und Zellulose. Die Untersuchungen ergaben, daß auf Zelluloseschichten unter Verwendung saurer Laufmittel die besten Resultate zu erzielen sind.

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Summary Thin layer chromatographic separations of dicarboxylic and hydroxycarboxylic acids are described. Silica gel, silica gel-kieselguhr mixtures and cellulose were used as carrier substance. The investigations showed that the best results are obtained on cellulose layers with use of an acidic mobile phase.

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Résumé On décrit la séparation par chromatographie en couche mince des acides dicarboxyliques et hydroxycarboxyliques. On prend comme substance support du gel de silice, des mélanges gel de silice-kieselguhr et de la cellulose. Les expériences ont montré que des couches de cellulose et l'emploi d'un éluant acide conduisaient aux meilleurs résultats.

     

THE EFFECT OF PERIPHERAL SUBSTITUTION ON THE BATHOCHROMIC SHIFT OF THE Qy TRANSITION OF BACTERIOCHLOROPHYLL DIMERS; in vitro MODELS OF THE PROTEIN EFFECT ON THE SPECTRUM OF PIGMENT CENTERS IN THE LIGHT-HARVESTING COMPLEXES*

Abstract— The effect of chemical modifications in the side groups of the isocyclic ring V on the formation, optical absorption and circular dichroism of bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) dimers was examined in a mixture of formamide and water containing TritonX–100 and variable amounts of pyridine. Substitution of the carbomethoxy group in the C13² position with a hydrogen atom, had no effect on the dimerization constant but increased the shift of the Q_y transition by 1000 cm^-1 with respect to the native Bchl. Substitution of the C13 hydrogen atom with OH decreased the shift of the Q_y transition by 400 cm^-1. The similarity between the spectra of the modified Bchl dimers and Bchl dimers in vivo indicates that protein binding to the side groups at Bchl dimers may profoundly affect the energy of their Q_y transition but have minor effects on the Q_y transitions of the monomelic Bchl.     

Bildung von Malondialdehyd bei der Bestrahlung wäßriger Glucoselösungen

The malondialdehyde content of a 1% aqueous glucose solution irradiated in the presence and absence of oxygen and at various pH values has been estimated. From the data obtained a reaction scheme for the formation of malondialdehyde has been proposed.     

Modulation of fragmental charge transfer via hydrogen bonds. Direct measurement of electronic contributions

Hydrogen bonds play an important role in an overwhelming variety of fields from biology to surface and supramolecular chemistry. The term "hydrogen bond" refers to a wide range of interactions with various covalent and polar contributions. In particular, hydrogen bonds have an important role in the folding and packing of peptides and nucleic acids. Recent studies also point to the importance of hydrogen bonding in the context of second-shell interactions, in metal binding and selectivity in metalloproteins, and in controlling the dynamics of membrane proteins. In this study, we demonstrate and quantify the modulation of fragmental charge transfer from hydrogen-bonded ligands to a metal center, by employing our recently introduced molecular potentiometer. The molecular details that affect this type of fragmental charge transfer are presented and a path for transferring chemical information is demonstrated. We found that H-bond interactions in the extended positions of axial ligands provide an effective means of modulating the amount of fragmental charge transfer to a metal center, thereby dramatically influencing the electronic properties of the ligand, the binding affinity, and the binding of additional ligands. The magnitude of fragmental charge-transfer modulation induced by a single ligand-solvent H-bond interaction is comparable to those induced by covalent substitution, although H-bond enthalpy is only on the order of several kilojoules per mole. Importantly, we find a significant change in the ligand electronic properties, even for weak C-H...O=C H-bond formation, where the bond enthalpy is substantially lower than for conventional H-bond interactions. The excess fragmental charge transferred to the metal center, deduced from the spectroscopic measurements, correlates well with the computationally determined values. Our findings underscore the importance of second-shell interactions in the active sites of enzymes, beyond the structural and electrostatic importance that is widely recognized today.