PHOTOOXIDATION OF 8-METHOXYPSORALEN WITH SINGLET OXYGEN*

Abstract— The in vitro photooxidation of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) with singlet oxygen is studied. Irradiation of 8-MOP(295–400 or320–400 nm) in the presence of oxygen for 72 h results in the formation of a product (1.4%) which is identified as 6-formyl-7-hydroxy-8-methoxycoumarin by aid of IR, NMR, MS and co-chromatography with an authentic sample. A study of this reaction in the presence of l,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)octane, a singlet oxygen scavenger, indicates the involvement of ¹O₂ in the formation of this compound. In addition to this, formation of a novel dimer of 8-MOP is reported.     

QUENCHING OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN BY PHTHALOCYANINES AND NAPHTHALOCYANINES

Using the direct measurement of the photosensitized luminescence of singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) the rate constants (kq) have been determined for 1O2 quenching by the monomeric molecules of the following phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines in chloroform: tetra-(4-tert-butyl) phthalocyanine (I); octa-(3,6-butoxy) phthalocyanine (II), tetra-(6-tert-butyl)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (III), aluminium tetra-(1-tert-phenyl)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (IV), tri-(n-hexyl-siloxy) derivatives of silicon- (V), tin- (VI), aluminium- (VII) and gallium- (VIII) 2,3 naphthalocyanine. The following kq values were obtained (kq x 10(-8) M-1 s-1): 2.9 (I), 59 (II), 100 (III), 20 (IV), 3.9 (V), 53 (VI), 33 (VII), 110 (VIII). As most of the quenchers have the low-lying triplet levels, a contribution of the quenching mechanism based on the energy transfer from 1O2 to these levels has been analysed. A formula is proposed describing the relation between kq values caused by this mechanism, and photophysical constants of the quencher triplet state. This formula was applied to phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, beta-carotene and bacterochlorophyll a. The data suggest that the energy transfer can fully explain the activity of V and strongly contributes into the activities of II, III and VI-VIII. A charge transfer interaction might be an additional mechanism involved in 1O2 quenching by compounds studied. As some phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines are strong physical quenchers of singlet oxygen they can be used as efficient inhibitors for photodestructive processes in photochemical systems.     

QUENCHING OF SINGLET OXYGEN BY SENSITIZER IN DYE-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION*

Abstract— A general method for the determination of the extent of the singlet oxygen (¹O₂) quenching by sensitizer in the dye-sensitized photooxygenation of olefins is used in the case of rose bengal (RB) in methanol and oil-soluble chlorophyll (M) in benzene with 2-methyl-2-pentene and tetramethylethylene as acceptors. Unlike RB, M which contains only a low percentage of pure chlorophyll (Chi), quenches ¹O₂. It is shown that this very cheap mixture can be used for kinetic studies and that the chemical quenching of ¹O₂ by M is very weak with respect to the physical quenching. The upper limit for the rate constants of physical and chemical quenching of ¹O₂ by Chi is estimated.     

IS SINGLET OXYGEN FORMATION DOMINANT IN TRIPLET QUENCHING PROCESSES? MEASUREMENT OF THE QUANTUM YIELD OF SINGLET OXYGEN FORMATION BY THE TIME-RESOLVED THERMAL LENS METHOD

The quantum yields of singlet oxygen formation (Ø_Δ) by the quenching of triplet states of organic sensitizers are measured at various concentrations of the sensitizers by using the time-resolved thermal lens method. Above a certain concentration, Ø_Δ is independent of the sensitizer concentration. Below the threshold, Ø_Δ gradually decreases as the concentration of the sensitizer decreases. The extrapolation of Ø_Δ to zero concentration indicates that singlet oxygen formation is not necessarily dominant in the quenching process even for the ³ππ* state in benzene.     

NEAR-INFRARED DETECTION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN PRODUCED BY PHOTOSENSITIZATION WITH PROMAZINE and CHLORPROMAZINE

A sensitive near-infrared detection system has been used to study the steady-state emission of ¹O₂ at 1268 nra produced by promazine (PZ) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) during photo-illumination. Singlet molecular oxygen could be detected in a variety of ordinary and perdeuterated organic solvents, but was not detectable in water or deuterium oxide. The emission was enhanced in the perdeuterated organic solvents and could be eliminated by rigorous degassing or by addition of the singlet oxygen scavenger 2,3-dimethylfuran. Singlet oxygen could not be detected in any of the solvents during irradiation of the sulfoxides of PZ and CPZ. We conclude that in biological systems ¹O₂ production is not a major pathway to phototoxicity for the sulfoxides, while for the parent phenothiazines the formation of ¹O₂ is much more likely to be important in nonpolar environments such as cell membranes than in the aqueous parts of the cell.     

SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN QUENCHING BY SATURATED AND UNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS AND BY CHOLESTEROL

The rate constants of molecular singlet oxygen quenching by saturated and unsaturated fatty-acids and by cholesterol-membrane critical components - membrane critical components - have been measured by time resolved detection of the 1270 nm phosphorescence of singlet molecular oxygen [O2(1deltag)]. We have determined (i) an increment of 5.7 x 10(2)M(-1)s(-1) per -CH2- in C6D6 and CD3OD for saturated fatty acids between C4 and C20, (ii) an increment of 3 x 10(4)M(-1)s(-1) per non-conjugated cis-double bond for C18 unsaturated fatty acids, identical in C6D6 and DC3OD, (iii) a lower quenching rate constant by a factor of 2.7 for the trans-C16 and trans-C18 as compared to the corresponding cis-monounsaturated fatty acids, (iv) a rate constant of O2x(1deltag) quenching by cholesterol of 5.7 x 10(4)M(-1)s(-1) in benzene. These rate constants are compared to those obtained for other membrane cellular components.     

STEROL METABOLISM. XLII. ON THE INTERCEPTION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN BY STEROLS

Abstract— The use of cyclic 1,3-dienes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as xenobiotic substrates for the interception of electronically excited (singlet) molecular oxygen (¹O₂) in biological systems is reviewed and criticized, and the possibility of utilization of reactive endogenous substrates for ¹O₂ interception is considered. The common sterols, cholesterol, 5α-cholest-7-en-3β-ol, and 5α-lanost-8-en-3β-ol each give oxidation products with ¹O₂ different from those with ground-state molecular oxygen that can be distinguished from one another by simple chromatographic means.     

MECHANISM OF PHYSICAL QUENCHING OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN BY CHLOROPHYLLS and RELATED COMPOUNDS OF BIOLOGICAL INTEREST

Abstract— The rate constant k₅/ > for physical quenching of singlet oxygen O₂(δ₁;) by the sensitizer in dye-sensitized photooxygenations is determined in the case of chlorophylls a and b (7.3 times 10⁸, 4.2 times 10⁸ M^-1 s^-1 respectively), pheophytins a and b (7.4 times 10⁷, 3.0 times 10⁷ M^-1 s^_1 respectively), tetraphenylporphyrin (4.4 times 10⁷ M^-1 s^_1), magnesium tetraphenylporphyrin (5.0 times 10⁸ M^-1 s^_1), zinc tetraphenylporphyrin (1.5 times 10⁸ M^-1 s^_l) and protoporphyrin IX-dimethylester (9.1 times 10⁷ M ^-1 s^_1) in benzene. These sensitizers show a linear correlation between log k_s^O , and their half-wave oxidation potentials and the value of the slope is similar to that observed for various compounds such as phenols. It is concluded that (i) the interaction between chlorophylls and related compounds with singlet oxygen may involve an exciplex as for phenols, and (ii) physical quenching may be envisaged as a spin-orbit-induced intersystem crossing within the exciplex.     

QUENCHING OF SINGLET OXYGEN BY HUMAN PLASMA

Direct measurements of the decay of singlet oxygen phosphorescence at 1270 nm were made in human plasma diluted with various amounts of deuterium oxide. The Stern-Volmer plot of the singlet oxygen lifetimes was linear up to 15% plasma concentration (vol/vol). Extrapolation of these measurements to 100% plasma content gave a singlet oxygen lifetime of 1.04 +/- 0.03 microseconds in human plasma. Biological molecules accounted for 77% of the total singlet oxygen quenching while water accounted for 23% of the quenching. The contributions of various types of biological molecules to the total singlet oxygen quenching were calculated from their plasma concentrations and their quenching constants. Plasma proteins quenched most of the singlet oxygen. Uric acid also quenched a significant amount of singlet oxygen (12%). Tocopherols, carotenoids, ascorbic acid and bilirubin made only small contributions to the total singlet oxygen quenching (less than or equal to 4%).     

PHOTOBLEACHING OF MEROCYANINE 540: INVOLVEMENT OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN

The purpose of this study was to assess the mechanism of merocyanine 540 (MC540) photobleaching in a liposomal system. Broad based visible irradiation of MC540 in unilamellar dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) vesicles resulted in dye bleaching that was strictly O2 dependent. The rate of self-sensitized photobleaching was enhanced in D2O and inhibited by both azide and histidine, consistent with 1O2 intermediacy (Type II chemistry). Supportive evidence for this mechanism was obtained by using a Type II sensitizer, aluminum phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (AlPcS lambda max = 678 nm). Irradiation of AlPcS and MC540 in DLPC with lambda greater than 630 nm (absorbed only by AlPcS) light resulted in rapid bleaching of MC540, which was stimulated by D2O and inhibited by azide. A rate constant of 10(7) M-1 s-1 was determined for the chemical quenching of 1O2 by MC540. The rate constant for physical quenching of 1O2 by MC540 was estimated to be ca 10(9) M-1 s-1.     

CUTANEOUS PHOTOTOXICITY OF TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS: GENERATION OF FREE RADICALS and SINGLET OXYGEN DURING PHOTOLYSIS AS MEASURED BY SPIN-TRAPPING and THE PHOSPHORESCENCE OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN

Chlortetracycline (CTC) generated an aryl radical in aqueous buffer (pH 7.4) during near UV irradiation, as evidenced by the formation of 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane spin adducts. The radical was produced via dechlorination, a photoprocess not previously reported for tetracyclines. Demeclocyc-line (DEM), another chlorinated tetracycline, did not produce detectable aryl radicals. Relative ¹O₂ yields obtained by direct luminescence measurements at 1268 nm for five tetracyclines in alkaline ethanol (demeclocycline · tetracycline · chlortetracycline · doxycycline · minocycline) showed that DEM produced approximately three times as much singlet oxygen as CTC. This constitutes direct evidence that tetracyclines sensitize both Type I and Type II photoreactions.     

ACTIVATED OXYGEN: SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN AND SUPEROXIDE ANION

Abstract— Elusive processes associated with molecular oxygen in chemical and biological systems are interpreted in terms of two activated oxygen species, singlet molecular oxygen (¹Σ⁺_g/¹Δ_g) and superoxide anion (X²π_g). The generation and deactivation of singlet oxygen by interaction with organic triplet states are discussed within a comprehensive theoretical framework. Experimental results indicate the anomalous molecular oxygen enhanced luminescence from organic chromophores in polymer matrices results from the deactivation of singlet (¹Δ_g) oxygen by energy transfer to electronically excited states of the chromophore, and three types of oxygen enhanced luminescence have been identified in these systems. Properties of the superoxide anion relevant to its solution chemistry are briefly discussed. Electron transfer theory is used to theoretically examine the generation of singlet oxygen in disproportionation reactions of the superoxide anion, predicting that, depending on the number of water molecules present, the disproportionation reaction is a proficient source of singlet oxygen. A competing quenching process imposes a limit to the steady state concentration of singlet oxygen in most chemical systems. Available experimental results on the quenching of singlet oxygen by superoxide anion are in good agreement with theoretical results obtained via application of electron transfer theory.     

EFFECT OF AGGREGATION ON THE HEMATOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PRODUCTION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN

Abstract— The hematoporphyrin-sensitized production of singlet molecular oxygen, O₂(¹Δ_g), has been investigated in methanol and in aqueous solution. The quantum yield for formation of O₂(¹Δ_g) (Φ_Δ) has been measured by both steady-state (oxygen consumption) and time-resolved (near-infrared luminescence) methods. In methanol, both techniques indicate that Φ_Δ= 0.76 and the value remains independent of sensitizer concentration over a wide range. This finding is consistent with the dye persisting in a monomelic form in methanol solution. In contrast, Φ_Δ decreases markedly with increasing sensitizer concentration in water due to dimerization of the dye. Analysis of the steady-state data indicates Φ_Δ values of 0.74 and 0.12, respectively, for monomer and dimer. It is further shown that the efficiency whereby quenching of the triplet state by O₂ results in generation of O₂(¹Δ_g) is substantially lower for the dimer than for the corresponding monomer. Because monomer and dimer possess quite different absorption spectral profiles, the efficacy for photodynamic action with hematoporphyrin exhibits a pronounced wavelength dependence.     

SINGLET OXYGEN FORMATION BY SENSITIZATION OF FUROCOUMARINS COMPLEXED WITH, OR BOUND COVALENTLY TO DNA

Abstract— The formation of singlet molecular oxygen (¹O₂) by sensitization of the furocoumarins 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP), 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and psoralen complexed with DNA was investigated. From the results it is concluded that 5-MOP complexed with native DNA is able to generate ¹O₂, even in a larger extent than 5-MOP free in solution. Also, with 8-MOP and especially with psoralen, ¹O₂ formation by the complexed compound could be observed. The ¹O₂ formation sensitized by covalently bound furocoumarin was demonstrated with psoralen as a model compound. 4',5'-Dihydropsoralen, a model compound for the UVA light absorbing 4',5'monoadducts of furocoumarins to DNA, is also able to generate ¹O₂.     

SPECTRAL OBSERVATION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN FROM AROMATIC ENDOPEROXIDES IN SOLUTION

Abstract— The characteristic near-infrared emission band of O₂ (¹Δ_g) at 1.28 μ m has been recorded from carbon tetrachloride solutions of the 1, 4-endoperoxides of 1,4-dimethyInaphthalene and 1, 4-dimethoxy-9.10-diphenylanthracene undergoing thermal decomposition.     

DEACTIVATION OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN BY THIOLS AND RELATED COMPOUNDS, POSSIBLE PROTECTORS AGAINST SKIN PHOTOSENSITIVITY

Abstract— From time-resolved measurements of the decay of singlet molecular oxygen phosphorescence at 1270 nm in D₂O, direct estimates have been gained for the rate constants of the singlet oxygen reactions with a group of sulphur compounds in the pD range 5 to 13. In the case of most of the thiols, the results are consistent with singlet oxygen reacting exclusively with the thiolate anions. At the normal physiological pH 7, the apparent rate constants (in units of M^-1 s^-1) were 8.9 times 10⁶ (cysteine), 2.5 times 10⁶ (N-acetyl cysteine), 2.9 times 10⁶ (glutathione), 3.0 times 10⁵ (2-mercaptoethanol), 2.3 times 10⁷ (ergothioneine) and 2.7 times 10⁶ (2-mercaptopropionyl glycine). For methionine the rate constant, 1.4 times 10⁷, was independent of pD in the range studied. These sulphur compounds, in particular N-acetyl cysteine and ergothioneine, or related compounds, might be considered as possible candidates for protection against skin photosensitivity side effects associated with the photodynamic therapy of solid tumours and as observed in the disease erythropoietic protoporphyria.     

QUENCHING OF SINGLET OXYGEN BY HUMAN RED CELL GHOSTS

Time resolved measurements of singlet oxygen phosphorescence at 1270 nm were made from unsealed red cell ghosts, labeled with 5-(N-hexadecanoyl)aminoeosin and suspended in deuterium oxide buffer. The singlet oxygen emission lifetime was long, 23 +/- 1 microseconds. The lifetime of the singlet oxygen phosphorescence from intact unsealed ghosts was not a measure of the singlet oxygen lifetime within the red cell ghost membrane, however. The prolonged singlet oxygen emission was due to singlet oxygen escaping from the thin membrane into the buffer, since the emission lifetime was significantly shortened by adding azide ion or water to the deuterium oxide buffer. The lifetime of singlet oxygen within the red cell ghosts membrane was estimated by dispersing the ghosts with detergent and then measuring the singlet oxygen lifetime in deuterium oxide buffers containing various dilutions of the dispersed ghosts. Apparent singlet-oxygen quenching constants were measured using four different photosensitizing dyes and two different detergents. The apparent quenching constant was independent of the dye used, but varied significantly with different detergents. Extrapolation of this data to "100%" ghost concentration gave a singlet oxygen lifetime from 24 and 130 ns. A ghost concentration of "100%" was defined as that concentration of red cell ghost molecules which would be contained within a red cell ghost membrane pellet containing no buffer solutions. Most of the singlet oxygen quenching was due to proteins. Lipids extracted from red cell ghosts accounted for only 2-7% of the total singlet oxygen quenching.     

THE EFFECT OF DARK COMPLEXING ON THE PHOTOSENSITIZED FORMATION OF 8-METHOXYPSORALEN CROSS-LINKS WITH DNA*

The near-UV dose at 365 nm required for the formation of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) cross-links with calf thymus DNA was found to be insensitive to the concentration ratio of nucleotides to 8-MOP over the range 100:1 to 5:1. The proposed explanation is that only the dark-complexed 8-MOP contributes to the photosensitized formation of monoadducts and cross-links. A kinetics analysis indicates that the fluence required for cross-linking should be inversely proportional to the square root of the fraction of dark-complexed 8-MOP per nucleotide (the binding ratio), a quantity that is insensitive to the ratio of nucleotides to 8-MOP. These findings predict a small dependence of photosensitivity on the total 8-MOP concentration in cellular systems in which cross-links are the major lethal lesion.     

REACTION AND QUENCHING OF SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN WITH ESTERS OF POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

Abstract The rate constants for the reactive (k_R) and unreactive (k_Q) interaction of singlet molecular oxygen with three esters of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA: cis-methyl oleate, MO; cis-methyl linoleate, MLA and cis-ethyl linolenate, ELN) are determined. The values of the ratio k_Q/k_R are 0.51, 0.26 and 0.20 for MO, MLA and ELN, respectively. This variation results principally from that of k_R because the values of k_Q are only slightly different (1.24 × 10⁴M^?1 s^?1 for MO and ～1.0 × 10⁴M^?1 s^?1 for MLA and ELN). It is shown that the rate constant k_Q characterizes mainly an interaction with the unreactive part of the molecule rather than with the double bonds (solventlike quenching). Contrary to the already reported case of 1,5-polyenes for which k_Q <<k_R, the present results and those obtained from a number of literature data show that for PUFA and their esters, neither k_R+ k_Q nor k_R are proportional to the total number of double bonds or of methylene groups adjacent to the double bonds. Instead, a linear correlation is observed by plotting k_Rvs the number of methylene groups adjacent to two double bonds. It is deduced that contrary to a common assumption, biallylic hydrogens have a reactivity higher than that of singly allylic hydrogens (reactivity ratio 1.19). The consequence of this result on the estimation of relative contributions of singlet oxygen and radical mechanisms to oxidation processes is discussed. Moreover, the whole of these results allows prediction of the values of k_R and k_Q for all unsaturated fatty acids (and their esters) of similar structure.