The microenvironment effect on the generation of reactive oxygen species by Pd-bacteriopheophorbide

Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the hallmark of important biological processes and photodynamic therapy (PDT), where ROS production results from in situ illumination of certain dyes. Here we test the hypothesis that the yield, fate, and efficacy of the species evolved highly depend on the dye's environment. We show that Pd-bacteriopheophorbide (Pd-Bpheid), a useful reagent for vascular targeted PDT (VTP) of solid tumors, which has recently entered into phase II clinical trials under the code name WST09 (trade name TOOKAD), forms appreciable amounts of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, and probably hydrogen peroxide in aqueous medium but not in organic solvents where singlet oxygen almost exclusively forms. Evidence is provided by pico- and nanosecond time-resolved spectroscopies, ESR spectroscopy with spin-traps, time-resolved singlet oxygen phosphorescence, and chemical product analysis. The quantum yield for singlet oxygen formation falls from approximately 1 in organic solvents to approximately 0.5 in membrane-like systems (micelles or liposomes), where superoxide and hydroxyl radicals form at a minimal quantum yield of 0.1%. Analysis of photochemical products suggests that the formation of oxygen radicals involves both electron and proton transfer from (3)Pd-Bpheid at the membrane/water interface to a colliding oxygen molecule, consequently forming superoxide, then hydrogen peroxide, and finally hydroxyl radicals, with no need for metal catalysis. The ability of bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) derivatives to form such radicals upon excitation at the near infrared (NIR) domain opens new avenues in PDT and research of redox regulation in animals and plants.     

Evaluation of diethyl-3-3'-(9,10-anthracenediyl)bis acrylate as a probe for singlet oxygen formation during photodynamic therapy

The cell-permeable anthracene analog diethyl-3-3'-(9,10-anthracenediyl)bis acrylate (DADB) was recently identified as a highly selective probe for singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). Now, we show that DADB can be used to monitor (1)O(2) formation in cell culture during photodynamic therapy. An atypical property of DADB is that fluorescence emission is decreased upon oxidation. Using photosensitizers that target specific organelles, we determined that DADB could detect (1)O(2) whether formed in ER, mitochondria or lysosomes. DADB fluorescence was not, however, significantly altered when the photosensitizing agent was the palladium bacteriopheophorbide termed WST11, an agent reported to produce mainly oxygen radicals upon irradiation in an aqueous environment, whereas singlet oxygen was formed in organic solvents.     

Nitrene Adducts with Oxygen in the Photooxidation Reactions of Organic Azides

The photooxidation of organic azides and the photochemical reduction of nitro compounds include the formation of a common intermediate: the adduct of a nitrene with oxygen. The ground state of the adduct is singlet; the singlet–triplet gap is small and equals 80.2 or 56.7 kJ/mol for HNOO or C₆H₅NOO, respectively. Arguments for the involvement of singlet molecular oxygen, atomic oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and dioxaziridines in these reactions were given.     

Effects of photodynamic therapy using a fractionated dosing of mono-L-aspartyl chlorin e6 in a murine tumor

One of the 'second generation' photosensitizing agents is N-acetyl chlorin e6 (NPe6). This product has a strong absorbance band at 665 nm, permitting treatment at a greater depth of tumor than earlier agents based on porphyrin structures. We examined the effects of fractionated drug administration on photodynamic efficacy. Prior studies had shown that it is the level of NPe6 in the circulation that predicts for photodynamic efficacy, indicating vascular shut-down to be the predominant mode of tumor control. Although pharmacokinetic studies revealed that >99% of NPe6 was lost from the circulation, it appears that a fractionated dosage protocol can promote photodamage to neoplastic tissue in vivo. This study also indicated the potential utility of an implantable micro array for tumor irradiation.     

Heavy Atom Effects in Tellurapyrylium Dyes Useful in Photodynamic Therapy and Catalytic Generation of H2O2

Abstract

The large rate of intersystem crossing between singlet and triplet states of tellurapyrylium dyes leads to efficient generation of singlet oxygen in irradiated airsaturated aqueous solutions containing these dyes. One reaction of tellurapyrylium dyes with singlet oxygen and water is the formation of dihydroxy tellurane [tellurium(IV)] species. We have found that the photochemical generation of dihydroxy telluranes is reversible thermally. The tellurapyrylium dye is regenerated while a molecule of hydrogen peroxide is produced. The thermal generation of hydrogen peroxide coupled with a photochemical generation of singlet oxygen allows a catalytic cycle to be devised for the conversion of oxygen and water to hydrogen peroxide. The dihydroxy telluranes are efficient two-electron oxidizing agents and can be used as catalysts to accelerate reactions using hydrogen peroxide as a two-electron oxidizing agent. Examples of tellurapyrylium dye-mediated reactions of hydrogen peroxide include reactions of leucodyes normally oxidized by horseradish peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide. These processes lead to thermal and photochemical reactions that are potentially cytotoxic following the generation of singlet oxygen in photodynamic therapy. The regeneration of the original catalyst allows repeated treatment from a single dose.     

THE ROLE OF SINGLET OXYGEN IN THE PHOTOOXIDATION OF POLYMERS

Abstract— This paper is a critical review of the singlet oxygen oxidation of polymers in solid state and in solution, referring in particular to polydienes, polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride). The singlet oxygenation of polydienes resulted in formation of allylic hydroperoxide groups with shifted double bonds, according to the "ene"-type process. The singlet oxygenation of polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride) occurs only when the new double bonds are formed in these polymers. During dye-photosensitized singlet oxygenation of polydienes in methanol-benzene solution, a very rapid decrease in the molecular weight was observed. For the chain-scission which occurs, not only singlet oxygen but several intermediates such as radicals, bi-radicals and cation-radicals which are formed during light fading of dyes are responsible. At the end of this paper a short review appears which has been focused on the quenching behavior of stabilizers, particularly interactions with singlet oxygen.     

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF OXIDATION OF NUCLEIC ACID COMPONENTS BY HYDROXYL RADICALS, SINGLET OXYGEN AND SUPEROXIDE ANION RADICALS

Abstract— Superoxide radicals, singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals are individually or in combination involved in radiation or photochemical processes and in various enzymatic reactions. The reactivity and the mechanism of reaction of these oxygen species with some biologically significant DNA components were investigated through the characterization of the final oxidation products.
Superoxide radicals appear to be unreactive with purine and pyrimidine 2'-deoxyribonucleosides. However, the autoxidation reaction of 6-hydroxydopamine leads to extensive degradation of thymine through the intermediary of hydroxyl radicals. Chemically and microwave-discharge generated singlet oxygen oxidation is specific to 2'-deoxyguanosine. The main oxidized products of these reactions were also characterized as well as an as yet unidentified nucleoside in the methylene-blue photooxydation of 2-deoxyguanosine. These results, in addition to specific deuterium effect experiments, lend support to the involvment of singlet oxygen (type II mechanism) in the methylene-blue photosentization. No singlet oxygen effect was observed in aqueous irradiated system.     

Phase-resolved fluorescence study of mono-L-aspartyl chlorin E6

The properties of a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy, mono-L-aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6), were investigated using phase-resolved fluorescence. NPe6 was analyzed in water solution at concentrations ranging from 3.13x10(-7) to 8.00x10(-5) M. The photophysical parameters of the lowest singlet excited state of NPe6 molecules were experimentally determined. It was confirmed that NPe6 molecules were in the isolated molecular state at concentrations below 1.00x10(-5) M. It was also confirmed that the fluorescence in this concentration range was ascribable to the electronic transition of isolated NPe6 molecules from the lowest singlet excited state to the ground state. At concentrations above 1.00x10(-5) M, some of the NPe6 molecules formed dimers in water solution, which caused a red shift of the fluorescence spectrum and an enhancement of fluorescence in the 700-750 nm wavelength region. Semiempirical molecular orbital calculation revealed that the sodium aspartate attached to the tetrapyrrole ring through the ethanoic group was remarkably bent with respect to the tetrapyrrole plane. This bending appeared to hinder the formation of NPe6 dimers at concentrations up to 1.00x10(-5) M.     

Photoinduced Electron‐Transfer Oxidation of Olefins with Molecular Oxygen Sensitized by Tetrasubstituted Dimethoxybenzenes: A Non‐Singlet‐Oxygen Mechanism

α‐Methylstyrene ( 1 ) was photo‐oxidized in the presence of a series of alkylated dimethoxybenzenes as sensitizers in an oxygen‐saturated MeCN solution to afford the cleaved ketone 2 , epoxide 3 , as well as a small amount of the ene product 4 in ca. 1 : 1 : 0.04 ratio. The relative rate of conversion was well‐correlated with the fluorescence quantum yield of sensitizers. Thus, a non‐singlet‐oxygen mechanism is proposed, in which an excited sensitizer is quenched by (ground‐state) molecular oxygen to produce a sensitizer radical cation and a superoxide ion (O), the former of which oxidizes the substrate, while the latter reacts with the resulting olefin radical cation ( 1 ^{+ .}) to give the major oxidation products. Photodurability of such electron‐donating sensitizers is dramatically improved by substituting four aromatic H‐atoms in 1,4‐dimethoxybenzene with Me or fused alkyl groups, which provides us with an environmentally friendly, clean method of photochemical functionalization with molecular oxygen, alternative to the ene reaction via singlet oxygenation.     

PHOTOBLEACHING OF MONO-l-ASPARTYL CHLORIN e6 (NPe6): A CANDIDATE SENSITIZER FOR THE PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY OF TUMORS

Abstract— Most sensitizers used for the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors photobleach on illumination. Thus, it is of interest to examine the photobleaching behavior of new sensitizers proposed for use in PDT. This report surveys the quantum yields and kinetics of the photobleaching of mono- l -aspartyl chlorin e₆ (NPe6), a hydrophilic chlorin that has many of the photoproperties desirable in a sensitizer for clinical PDT. It is a very effective sensitizer for the PDT of several types of model tumors in animals and is now in Phase I clinical trials. The quantum yield of NPe6 photobleaching in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer in air was 8.2 × 10⁻⁴; this is greater than the yields for typical porphyrin photosensitizers. For example, the yields for hematoporphyrin and uroporphyrin are 4.7 × 10 ⁵ and 2.8 × 10⁻⁵, respectively. The yield decreased significantly in organic solvents of low dielectric constant. The Sn derivative of NPe6 was more light stable than NPe6 (yield = 5.7 × 10 ⁻⁶), while the Zn derivative was more sensitive (yield = 1.9 × 10⁻²). Oxygen appeared to be necessary for the photobleaching of NPe6; however, bleaching was not inhibited by 100 mM azide, an efficient quencher of singlet oxygen. The photooxidizable substrates cysteine, dithiothreitol and furfuryl alcohol increased the quantum yield of photoblcaching two- to four-fold, while the electron acceptor, met-ronidazole, increased it almost six-fold. Photobleaching yields for several other chlorins were also measured.     

Towards tuning PDT relevant photosensitizer properties: comparative study for the free and Zn2+ coordinated meso-tetrakis[2,6-difluoro-5-(N-methylsulfamylo)phenyl]porphyrin

The spectroscopic, photochemical, and biological studies of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[2,6-difluoro-5(N-methylsulfamylo)phenyl]porphyrinate Zn(II) (ZnF₂PMet) were carried out including absorption and fluorescence spectra, fluorescence quantum yields, triplet absorption spectra, triplet lifetimes, singlet oxygen quantum yield, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection under biological conditions and compared with its free-base analog (F₂PMet). Zinc coordination into the porphyrin ring results in decrease of hydrophobicity and in higher cellular uptake. F₂PMet localized specifically in endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria while the ZnF₂PMet is more diffused all over the cell, bonded to membrane proteins, as assessed by fluorescence microscopy. Zn-porphyrin exhibits greater singlet oxygen quantum yield than its free-base analog. Studies with fluorescent probes confirm that the ZnF₂PMet produces mostly singlet oxygen, whereas F₂PMet generates more hydroxyl radicals as the ROS. F₂PMet is a more effective photosensitizer in vitro than its zinc complex, thus, the final photodynamic effect depends more on the nature of ROS than on the higher cellular uptake.     

CAROTENOIDS QUENCH EVOLUTION OF EXCITED SPECIES IN EPIDERMIS EXPOSED TO UV-B (290-320 nm) LIGHT

Abstract— Reactions involving singlet oxygen and other free radicals have been identified in epidermis containing either exogenous or endogenous photosensitizers. soaked in a singlet oxygen/free radical trap, and then exposed to visible or UV-A (320-400 nm) light. Such reactions can be quenched by the presence of the carotenoid pigments β-carotene and canthaxanthin which accumulate in epidermis after oral administration. We report here that the carotenoid pigments β-carotene. canthaxanthin and phytoene accumulating in epidermis can also quench to some degree those photochemical reactions involving singlet oxygen and free radicals that occur when epidermis is exposed to the sunburn spectrum of light (UV-B. 290–320 nm).     

Reaction of singlet oxygen with 2-pyrazoline: implication for cation radical - superoxide ion pair intermediate

Kinetic studies on photosensitized oxygenation of 1,3,5-triaryl-2-pyrazolines show that an electron-transfer from the pyrazoline to singlet oxygen may take place to give a cation radical and superoxide ion pair. The reaction of pyrazoline cation radicals with superoxide ion shows the same product distribution with singlet oxygenation.     

Photocyclization of iminyl radicals: theoretical study and photochemical aspects

The irradiation of acyloximes was studied by theoretical methods. CASPT2/6-31G*//CASSCF/6-31G* calculations, using an active space of 14 electrons in 11 orbitals, indicate that S2 should be the spectroscopic state, and its relaxation leads directly to N-O bond breakage due to coupling between the imine pi* and the sigma* N-O orbitals. Subsequent calculations at the B3PW91/6-31+G* level suggest that the resulting iminyl radicals are able to cyclize to the five- or six-membered ring, depending on the presence of a phenyl group as a spacer, a process that has been verified experimentally. The photochemical aspects of the more common five-membered ring formation, such as excited-state quenching, quantum yield, excited-state sensitizers, laser flash photolysis experiments, Stern-Volmer plot, and luminescence measurements, were investigated. These studies indicate that singlet and triplet excited states undergo the same reaction. Emission lifetimes of ca. tau = 10.6 micros for compound 11 are suggestive of triplet parentage, while no fluorescence was detected, in agreement with the computed MEP energy profile.     

PHOTOCYTOTOXICITY OF CURCUMIN

Curcumin, bis (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-l,6-diene-3,5-dione, is a yellow-orange dye derived from the rhizome of the plant Curcuma longa. Curcumin has demonstrated phototoxicity to several species of bacteria under aerobic conditions (Dahl, T. A., et al. , 1989, Arch. Microbiol. 151 183), denoting photodynamic inactivation. We have now found that curcumin is also phototoxic to mammalian cells, using a rat basophilic leukemia cell model, and that this phototoxicity again requires the presence of oxygen. The spectral and photochemical properties of curcumin vary with environment, resulting in the potential for multiple or alternate pathways for the exertion of photodynamic effects. For example, curcumin photogenerates singlet oxygen and reduced forms of molecular oxygen under several conditions relevant to cellular environments. In addition, we detected carbon-centered radicals, which may lead to oxidation products (see accompanying paper). Such products may be important reactants in curcumin's phototoxicity since singlet oxygen and reduced oxygen species alone could not explain the biological results, such as the relatively long lifetime (t¹²= 27 s) of the toxicant responsible for decreased cell viability.     

SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION REACTIONS AND THE ROLE OF SINGLET OXYGEN†,‡

Abstract— In this paper we discuss various theoretical and experimental aspects of the role of singlet oxygen in sensitized photooxygenation reactions. New spectroscopic observations on the photosensitized production of singlet oxygen molecules are presented. The various factors which control the generation and reactions of singlet oxygen molecules are considered in detail. A relatively simple theoretical procedure is developed to predict the relative reactivities of ¹σ, ¹δ and ³σ oxygen toward various organic acceptors, and is used to discuss the chemical and photochemical properties of some of the oxygenation products. Finally, the properties of dioxetanes are examined in connection with the role which they may play in chemi- and bioluminescence. While we have said rather little about photodynamic reactions per se , the results presented in this paper strongly support the suggestion that many of the observed photodynamic effects could be due to reactions of singlet oxygen. Clearly a careful reexamination of various photodynamic effects at the molecular level to establish whether or not reactions of singlet oxygen are involved is now in order.     

Applied biological and physicochemical activity of isoquinoline alkaloids: oxoisoaporphine and boldine

The aim of this study was to determine the electronic influence of substituent groups and annelated rings such as oxazole-oxazinone on the physicochemical and photoprotection, antioxidant capacity, toxicity and singlet oxygen photosensitization biological properties of isoquinoline alkaloid frameworks. Thus, oxoisoaporphine derivatives 1-5 and 3-azaoxoisoaporphine (6), some of them with phenolic structures, did not present any antioxidant capacity, possibly either by formation of keto-enol tautomerism species or the formation of unstable free radicals. Due to the singlet oxygen quantum yields (F_D) near to unity, and greater photostability than phenalenone, oxoisoaporphines 4-6 may be considered as photosensitizers for singlet oxygen production and can be used as new universal study tools. The biological application as antibacterial agents is an important and possible tool in the study of compounds with low cytotoxicity and high reactivity in antineoplastic chemotherapy. On the other hand, when boldine and its annelated derivatives B1-4 are irradiated, a photoprotector effect is observed (SPF = 2.35), even after 30 minutes of irradiation. They also act as photoprotectors in cell fibroblast cultures. No hemolysis was detected for boldine hydrochloride and its salts without irradiation. In solutions irradiated before incubation (at concentrations over 200 ppm) photoproducts were toxic to the nauplii of Artemia salina.     

The Effects of Serum on Cellular Uptake and Phototoxicity of Mono-L-Aspartyl Chlorin e6 (NPe6) In Vitro

Abstract— Previous reports showed that the photosensitizer mono- l -aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6) binds to serum proteins. However, the influence of this binding on the cellular uptake and photodynamic therapy (PDT) phototoxicity of NPe6 is still undefined. In this paper, we studied how serum in medium affected the P388 cellular uptake and PDT phototoxicity of NPe6 in vitro. This was assessed by (1) detection of the red shift (654 nm Q band peak of absorption) induced by protein binding NPe6; (2) detection of intracellular concentration of NPe6 by HPLC and (3) measurements of the cell survival ratio after PDT by MTT assay. The 654 nm Q band peak of NPe6 shifted to 665 nm after binding of NPe6 and serum proteins. The protein-bound NPe6 cannot be uptaken by cells, thus there was no PDT phototoxicity. Nevertheless, phototoxicity recovered when the concentration of NPe6 excessed the serum protein binding ability or there was free serum protein in the medium. These data suggested that the cellular uptake of NPe6 is inhibited by serum components in the medium, and that only free NPe6 is accumulated by P388 cells even during relatively long incubations. The cytotoxicity of PDT mainly depends on the free NPe6 level in the medium.     

Theoretical investigation on the detailed mechanism of the OH‐initiated atmospheric photooxidation of o‐xylene

The reaction mechanism for o‐xylene with OH radical and O₂ was studied by density functional theory (DFT) method. The geometries of the reactants, intermediates, transition states, and products were optimized at B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) level. The corresponding vibration frequencies were calculated at the same level. The single‐point calculations for all the stationary points were carried out at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(2df,2pd) level using the B3LYP/6‐31G(d,p) optimized geometries. Reaction energies for the formation of the aromatic intermediate radicals have been obtained to determine their relative stability and reversibility, and their activation barriers have been analyzed to assess the energetically favorable pathways to propagate the o‐xylene oxidation. The results of the theoretical study indicate that OH addition to o‐xylene forms ipso, meta, and para isomers of o‐xylene‐OH adducts, and the ipso o‐xylene adduct is the most stable among these isomers. Oxygen is expected to add to the o‐xylene‐OH adducts forming o‐xylene peroxy radicals. And subsequent ring closure of the peroxyl radicals to form bicyclic radicals. With relatively low barriers, isomerization of the o‐xylene bicyclic radicals to more stable epoxide radicals likely occurs, competing with O₂ addition to form bicyclic peroxy radicals. The study provides thermochemical data for assessment of the photochemical production potential of ozone and formation of toxic products and secondary organic aerosol from o‐xylene photooxidation. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Theoretical studies of electron and hydrogen transfer reactions between semiquinone radicals and oxygen

 To explore the interactions between ubiquinones and oxygen in living organisms, the thermodynamics of a series of electron and hydrogen transfer reactions between semiquinone radicals, as well as their corresponding protonated forms, and oxygen, singlet or triplet, were studied using the hybrid Hartree–Fock–density functional theory method Becke's three parameter hybrid method with the Lee, Yang, and Parr correlation functional. Effects of the solvent and of the isoprenyl tail on the electron and hydrogen transfer reactions were also investigated. It is found that semiquinone radicals (semiquinone anion radicals or protonated semiquinone radicals) cannot react with triplet oxygen to form the superoxide anion radical O₂ ⁻. In contrast, neutral quinones can scavenge O₂ ⁻ efficiently. In the gas phase, only protonated semiquinone radicals can react spontaneously with singlet oxygen to produce peroxyl radical (HO₂). However, both semiquinone anion radicals and protonated semiquinone radicals can react with singlet oxygen to produce harmful oxygen radicals (O₂ ^{− a l l b u l l} and HO₂, respectively) in aqueous and protein environments. The free-energy changes of the corresponding reactions obtained for different ubiquinone systems are very similar. It clearly shows that the isoprenyl tail does not influence the electron and hydrogen transfer reactions between semiquinone radicals and oxygen significantly. Results of electron affinities, vertical ionization potentials, and proton affinities also show that the isoprenyl tail has no substantial effect on the electronic properties of ubiquinones. Received: 3 July 2000 / Accepted: 6 September 2000 / Published online: 21 December 2000