Molecular mechanics and dynamics of DNA-furocoumarin complexes: effect of the aromatization of the pyrone ring on the intercalation geometry

Results of molecular mechanics and dynamics calculations on intercalation complexes of DNA with various furocoumarins (psoralen, angelicin, 7-methylpyrido[3,4-c]psoralen and 7-methylpyrido[4,3-c]psoralen) and their corresponding aromatized derivatives are presented. These calculations were undertaken with the aim to elucidate the roles of the pyrone and pyridine moieties in the interactions which tend to orient the furocoumarins and pyridopsoralens between DNA base pairs. It appears that the intercalation geometries are very similar for the furocoumarins and related aromatized compounds. Therefore the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the pyrone and pyridine moieties are not important in the orientation of the drug within the oligonucleotide.     

Simultaneous determination of urinary metabolites of methoxypsoralens in human and Umbelliferae medicines by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatography method has been developed for the determination of coumarins and furocoumarins (psoralens). Nine coumarins and furocoumarins are separated simultaneously on a Hypersil C(8) (25 cm x 4.6-mm i.d.) column with a gradient of methanol and acetonitrile aqueous solution as mobile phase at 1.0 mL/min with two-channel UV-vis absorbance detection. The limits of detection are 0.366, 0.219, 0.317, 0.440, 0.536, 0.300, 0.531, 0.531, 0.237, and 0.280 ng/mL for coumarin, 7-hydroxycoumarin, 7-methoxycoumarin, citropten (5,7-dimethoxycoumarin), 7-ethoxy-4-methylcoumarin, psoralen, xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen), bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen), isopimpinellin (5,8-dimethoxypsoralen), and imperatorin (9-isopenteneoxypsoralen), respectively. Human urine is analyzed 1-6 days after ingestion of the oral Chinese medicines. This lead to the conclusion that the concentration of coumarins and furocoumarins is higher than that of the control urine. The coumarins and furocoumarins are detected at 312 and 249 nm, respectively.     

New synthetic routes to furocoumarins and their analogs: a review

Many furocoumarins and their analogs possess a prominent photobiological activity. Some of them are successfully used as drugs in phototherapy of skin diseases. Fries rearrangement of acyloxyheteroarenes, condensation of acylhydroxyheteroarenes with alpha-carbonyl compounds under base catalysis and transformations of dihydrofurocoumarinones are new trends in synthesis of furocoumarins and their analogs.     

Photosensitizing action of furocoumarins on membrane components and consequent intracellular events

The photodamage induced in membrane components by furocoumarins is reviewed. The oxygen-dependent photoreactions between furocoumarins and cell membrane constituents lead mainly to lipid peroxidation and the formation of cross-linking in ghost proteins, whereas the oxygen-independent photoreactions lead essentially to a C4 cycloaddition between the furocoumarin and the unsaturated fatty acids. In the latter, cycloadducts are formed between the 3,4 double bond of the furocoumarin and the olefinic double bond of the unsaturated fatty acid. The stereochemical structures of these cycloadducts and the reaction mechanism of the cycloaddition are discussed. Finally, the modulation of several membrane systems by furocoumarins and the consequent intracellular events are reviewed.     

Transient absorption spectra and quenching of coumarin excited states by nucleic acid bases.

Triplet-triplet absorption spectra of coumarin show different profiles and maxima in ethanol from those in water, which are very similar to those reported in benzene. Long-lived transient species other than triplet states were generated as initial photoproducts between coumarins and nucleic acid bases. The excited singlet and triplet states of coumarins were quenched by nucleic acid bases. Adenine base quenched the excited singlet state of coumarins more efficiently than thymine base. However, photocycloadducts of furocoumarins are formed predominantly with thymine, and not with adenine. Moreover, it is reported that the poly[dA-dT].poly[dA-dT] sequence region is the most favourable site for the photocycloaddition reaction of furocoumarins. The results imply that adenine contributes to singlet-state photocycloaddition reaction of furocoumarins with thymine, probably through an adenine-furocoumarin-thymine termolecular interaction.     

Assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR signals of some benzofurocoumarins

The complete 1H and 13C NMR assignment of four 6,7-benzo-fused furocoumarins (1-4) and three 3,4-benzo-fused furocoumarins (5-7) has been performed using 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including COSY, HMQC and HMBC experiments.     

SKIN-PHOTOSENSITIZING FUROCOUMARINS: PHOTOCHEMICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN DNA AND —O14CH3 BERGAPTEN (5-METHOXY-PSORALEN)

Abstract— For some years the mechanism of the photosensitizing effects displayed by some furocoumarins on various biological substrates (human and guinea-pig skin, bacteria cultures, mammalian cells adapted to in vitro growth, viruses) have been studied. Recently it has been pointed out that a photoreaction occurs between the photosensitizing furocoumarins and DNA after irradiation at 3655 Å. By use of a labeled furocoumarin, i.e.—O¹⁴CH₃ bergapten or 5-methoxy-psoralen, this has been confirmed and more extensively studied. During the irradiation a stable combination of the furocoumarin with native DNA takes place with a quantum yield of 5·2 × 10^-3. It is probable that the reactive sites of DNA are the pyrimidine bases. Yeast-RNA and the same DNA after heat-denaturation or in the presence of high NaCl concentration photoreact at a much reduced rate. This photoreaction may explain some various biological photosensitizing effects produced by furocoumarins.     

In vitro and In vivo Antiproliferative Effect of a Combination of Ultraviolet‐A and Alkoxy Furocoumarins Isolated from Umbelliferae Medicinal Plants,in Melanoma Cells

We examined the effects of six furocoumarins with alkoxy groups at the C‐5 or C‐8 position isolated from Umbelliferae medicinal plants on cell proliferation, and their mechanisms of action against B16F10 melanoma cells or in melanin‐possessing hairless mice implanted with B16F10 cells, under UVA irradiation. Three furocoumarins with an alkoxy group at C‐5, isoimperatorin (1), oxypeucedanin (2) and oxypeucedanin hydrate (3), showed antiproliferative activity and caused G₂/M arrest at concentrations of 0.1–10.0 μm . Furthermore, three furocoumarins with an alkoxy group at C‐8, imperatorin (4), heraclenin (5) and heraclenol (6), inhibited the proliferation of melanoma cells and cell cycle at G₂/M at concentrations of 0.1–1.0 μm . UVA plus 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 reduced tumor growth and final tumor weight in B16F10‐bearing mice at a dose of 0.3, 0.5 or 1.0 mg kg^?1 (intraperitoneal injection). UVA plus 1, 3 and 6 increased Chk1 phosphorylation and reduced cdc2 (Thr 161) phosphorylation in melanoma cells. We suggest that the antitumor actions of UVA plus furocoumarins with an alkoxy group at C‐5 or C‐8 were due to G₂/M arrest of the cell cycle by an increase in phosphor‐Chk1 and decrease in phospho‐cdc2.     

PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF SOME FURO (3,2-g)-COUMARIN AND 2,3-DIHYDROFURO (3,2-g)-COUMARIN DERIVATIVES

Abstract— In order to gain further insight into the photocrosslinking of DNA by furocoumarin derivatives, the photoreactivity of furocoumarins and bisfurocoumarins was studied. While the triplet dimerization of furocoumarins occurs at the pyrone side, incorporation of furocoumarins in nonconjugated bichromophoric systems leads to reactions at the furan side as well. Furthermore, 2,3-dihydrofurocoumarins show both triplet and singlet reactivity.     

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.     

Rapid separation and identification of furocoumarins in Angelica dahurica by high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode‐array detection,time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry

High‐performance liquid chromatography with diode‐array detection (HPLC/DAD), time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/TOFMS) and quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/QITMS) were used for separation, identification and structural analysis of furocoumarins in Angelica dahurica. Two furocoumarins (imperatorin and isoimperatorin) in Angelica dahurica extract were identified unambiguously by comparing their relative retention times, characteristic ultraviolet information and accurate mass measurement. A formula database of known furocoumarins in Angelica dahurica was established, against which the other 21 furocoumarins were identified effectively based on the accurate extract masses and formulae acquired by HPLC/TOFMS. In order to distinguish the isomers, multi‐stage mass spectrometry (MSⁿ, ion trap mass spectrometry) was used. General fragmentation behavior of the furocoumarins in the ion trap mass spectrometer was studied by the two furocoumarin standards, and their fragmentation rules in MSⁿ spectra were summarized. These deduced fragmentation rules of furocoumarins were successfully implemented in distinguishing the three groups of isomers in Angelica dahurica by HPLC/QITMS. By using the three different analytical techniques, 23 furocoumarins in Angelica dahurica were tentatively identified within 30 min. Finally, HPLC/TOFMS fingerprints of Angelica dahurica were established by which it can be concluded that a rapid and effective method based on the three analytical techniques for identification of chemical components was established. This can provide help for further quality control of Angelica dahurica and pharmacology mechanism study of furocoumarins in Angelica dahurica. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Photooxygenation of Linear and Angular Furocoumarin Derivatives as a Hydroxyl Radical Source: Psoralen,Pseudopsoralen, Isopseudopsoralen,and Allopsoralen

Synthesis of linear and angular furocoumarins with new skeleton structure of potential photobiological feature interest was carried out through Williamson reaction of hydroxycoumarins with 3‐chloro‐2‐butanone followed by cyclization with polyphosphoric acid or by heating in a strongly alkaline solution. The photooxygenation reactions of synthesized furocoumarins were performed in chloroform and in the presence of tetraphenylporphyrin as singlet oxygen sensitizer (¹O₂). The photooxygenation reactions afforded the photocleaved product through [2 + 2] cycloaddition and the photooxygenated products through ene reaction and [4 + 2] cycloaddition. The photoproducts were isolated and fully characterized by spectral analyses.     

PHOTOINACTIVATION OF ENZYMES BY LINEAR AND ANGULAR FUROCOUMARINS

Abstract Furocoumarins with linear (psoralen, 8-methylpsoralen, 8-methoxypsoralen and 3-carbethox-ypsoralen) and angular molecular structures (angelicin and 4,5'-dimethylangelicin) were found to inactivate enzymes to different extents through UV-A irradiation. Moreover, enzymes with different structures (glutamate dehydrogenase, lysozyme, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, enolase, thermoly-sine and ribonuclease) are inactivated to different extents by the same furocoumarin. UV-A irradiation produces both covalent incorporation of the furocoumarins into the protein molecule and photodegra-dation of amino acid residues; the latter phenomenon seems to be mainly responsible for the photoinactivation process. A close correlation was found between the capacity of the furocoumarins to photoinactivate enzymes and their capacity to modify free amino acids.
A study of the effects of quenchers of various forms of activated oxygen on the photoinactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase, used as a model enzyme, and psoralen and 8-methylpsoralen as a reference for furocoumarins, showed that singlet oxygen is the species most involved in the photoinactivation process.     

Overpressured Layer Chromatographic (OPLC) Separation of Closely Related Furocoumarins

Abstract

In this paper, an OPLC method for the analytical separation of eight furocoumarins is described. Of the eight compounds investigated, four are linear furocoumarins (psoralen, bergapten, 8-methoxypsoralen, iso-pimpinellin) and four are angular furocoumarins (angelicin, sphondin, iso-bergapten, pimpinellin). In preliminary experiments, optimization of the mobile phase was made using the “PRISMA” model on TLC plates in unsaturated chambers. Evaluation of the final optimization steps for OPLC separations on HPTLC plates was done densitometrically. With the elaborated OPLC system, seven compounds could be baseline separated, and the resolution between iso-bergapten and angelicin was better than 1.3. Application of the method is demonstrated with the analysis of furocoumarin-containing root extracts from Heracleum sphondylium, H. mantegazzianum and Pastinaca sativa.     

RELATION BETWEEN SOME PHOTOBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF FUROCOUMARINS AND THEIR EXTENT OF SINGLET OXYGEN PRODUCTION

Abstract— The production of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) by a series of furocoumarins with different skin sensitizing abilities has been investigated with methods already proven to be suitable to establish the ability of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) to generate ¹O₂.
The following compounds: 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP), psoralen, 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (TMP) and 5,8–dimethoxypsoralen (5,8–DMOP), are able to generate ¹O₂ when irradiated with long–wave ultraviolet light. With the photobiologically inactive angelicin no ¹O₂ production has been found. The relative extent of ¹O₂ formation has been determined for the various furocoumarins and has been compared with literature data for the skin photosensitizing effect. The observed relation between experimental data on the one side and the literature data on the other side is discussed.     

STUDIES ON THE PHOTO-C4-CYCLO-ADDITION REACTIONS BETWEEN SKIN-PHOTOSENSITIZING FUROCOUMARINS AND NUCLEIC ACIDS*

Abstract— Among the natural or synthetic furocoumarins (psoralens) a group exists which has interesting biological properties, the best known of which is skin-photosensitization. The mechanism of action has remained unclarified for a long time. Furocoumarins lack photooxidative properties; they act by a mechanism that does not require oxygen and are therefore different from photodynamic substances. Photosensitizing furocoumarins when irradiated at 365 nm react with nucleic acids to give a C₄-cyclo-addition to the 5,6-double bond of the pyrimidine bases engaging their 3,4- or 4‵,5‵-double bond. Differences exist in the behaviour of the various furocoumarins; psoralen reacts equally well with native DNA, with denatured DNA and with RNA, whereas bergapten, xanthotoxin and 8-methylpsoralen at room temperature react to a much greater extent with native DNA than with denatured DNA and with RNA. A temperature effect has also been observed. In the case of native DNA an intercalation, occurring in the dark, of furocoumarins between two adjacent base pairs of the double helix is suggested as the first step in the reaction. The photoreaction is not accompanied by breaks in the polynucleotide chain or by conformational modifications of the macromolecule. A parallelism was observed between the order of activity of the substances of this group for photoreaction with native DNA and for skin-photosensitization. Ehrlich ascites tumor cells lose completely their capacity of transmitting the tumor after irradiation in the presence of psoralen, bergapten and xanthotoxin. By hydrolysis of DNA extracted from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells irradiated in the presence of psoralen a photoadduct between psoralen and thymine was isolated.     

SINGLET OXYGEN PRODUCTION BY SOME FUROCOUMARIN DERIVATIVES IN THE PRESENCE OF DNA: TIME RESOLVED LUMINESCENCE MEASUREMENTS

Abstract— The yield of singlet oxygen (¹Δ_g) from some furocoumarins in the presence of DNA has been measured using time resolved techniques. For both psoralen and 4'-aminomethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen, increasing DNA concentration leads to a decrease in the yield of singlet oxygen. In addition, there is a linear dependence between the yield of singlet oxygen and the observed triplet yield determined by laser flash photolysis. In view of this observation it seems unlikely that singlet oxygen production occurs from these two furocoumarins when they are complexed with DNA. Preliminary, albeit inconclusive, results for 8-methoxypsoralen are also presented.     

FUROCOUMARIN SENSITIZATION INDUCES DNA-PROTEIN CROSS-LINKS

The capacity of some linear and angular furocoumarins to induce DNA-protein cross-links by UVA (320–400 nm) irradiation has been evaluated in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Two linear furocoumarins, psoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen appeared to be capable of inducing DNA-protein cross-links to a noticeable extent. 4'-Methylangelicin and 4,4'-dimethylangelicin formed only reduced amounts of DNA-protein cross-links, while angelicin and 4,6,4'-trimethylangelicin seemed to be unable to induce significant levels of this lesion. The biological significance of this damage remains to be elucidated, but it might have an important role in furocoumarin sensitization. In the examined compounds, the capacity for inducing DNA-protein cross-links appears to be a property of the skin phototoxic furocoumarins. This result suggests the hypothesis of a connection between this damage and the formation of skin erythemas.     

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.     

Quantitative determination of furocoumarins in samples of “Carapiá” by capillary gas chromatography

Summary The occurrence of furocoumarins in the Moraceae has already been demostrated. We present here the results concerning the chemical composition and quantification of furocoumarins from “carapiá” (Dorstenia species, Moraceae) employed in Brazil because of its medicinal properties against skin diseases. A capillary gas chromatographic procedure is described for the simultaneous determination of the furocoumarins (psoralen, bergapten, pimpinellin, and isopimpinellin) in rhizomes and aerial parts ofDorstenia tubicina, Dorstenia asaroides andDorstenia vitifolia and in commercial samples. The method is shown to be sensitive and reproducible, and may have application in the analysis of “carapia” crude drugs.