Photochemical internalization enhances the cytotoxic effect of the protein toxin gelonin and transgene expression in sarcoma cells

Further advantages in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas will only be achieved by tailoring the adjuvant therapy after surgery. The photochemically directed release of macro-molecules from endosomes and lysosomes into the cytosol is a novel technology, named photochemical internalization (PCI), that has been evaluated for treatment of sarcoma cells in vitro. Two human synovial sarcoma cell lines (SW 982 and CME-1) were treated with the photosensitizer meso-tetraphenylporphine with two sulfonate groups on adjacent phenyl rings (TPPS2a) and a plasmid encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) complexed to poly-L-lysine to investigate the influence of PCI on gene transfer and with 5 micrograms/mL gelonin to investigate PCI of a Type-I ribosome-inactivating protein toxin. In addition, both cell lines were transduced with an Adenovirus serotype 5 encoding the Escherichia coli lacZ gene (AdHCMV-lacZ, expressing beta-galactosidase) and treated with TPPS2a and light to evaluate the effect of PCI on the transduction rate. Photochemically induced transfection with the reporter gene EGFP in CME-1 cells increased from 0% of cells at no light to 40% of the cells after 60 s of light exposure. In contrast, the SW 982 cells showed no enhanced expression of the gene. The fraction of virally transduced cells was about doubled in both cell lines by means of PCI, although the transduction was more efficient in the CME-1 cells. Both cell lines became up to four-fold more sensitive to light when combining photochemical treatment with gelonin incubation. Our experiments showed that PCI induced the endocytic escape of therapeutic substances in cells derived from human soft-tissue sarcomas.     

5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced fluorescence in bronchial tumours: dependency on the patterns of tumour invasion

5-ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) fluorescence kinetics was quantified by fluorescence microscopy in three-dimensional organ co-cultures of human bronchial epithelium, which were infiltrated by four different lung tumour cell lines (EPLC-M31, LCLC-103H, NCI-H125 and NCI-H841). Corresponding fluorescence measurements were performed in monolayer cultures of these tumour cell lines and BEAS-2B cells as a model for normal bronchial epithelium by flow cytometry. Significant differences of fluorescence intensities (FI) between the tumours were detected in organ co-cultures as well as in single cell measurements. Relative FI values in organ co-cultures (FI(EPLC-32M1)>FI(LCLC-H103)>FI(NCI-H125)>FI(NCI-H841)) did not correspond to the measurements in single cells (FI(LCLC-H103)>FI(NCI-H125)>FI(NCI-H841)>FI(EPLC-32M1)). Histology of organ co-cultures revealed different patterns of invasion and tumour cell densities depending on the tumour type. After correction of FI in the co-cultures to tumour cell density the correlation coefficient for fluorescence values between both models increased considerably. Thus, additionally to distinctive features of 5-ALA metabolism, patterns of tumour invasion may be a factor determining 5-ALA-induced fluorescence. Considering these results, a pronounced heterogeneity of 5-ALA-induced fluorescence might be expected in different bronchial tumours in vivo. This could interfere with the diagnostic reliability of 5-ALA-induced fluorescence for early tumour detection.     

5-Aminolevulinic Acid-induced Protoporphyrin IX Levels in Tissue of Human Malignant Brain Tumors

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) produced from exogenous, orally administered 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) displays high tumor-selective uptake and is being successfully employed for fluorescence-guided resection (FGR) of human malignant gliomas. Furthermore, the phototoxicity of PpIX can be utilized for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of brain tumors, which has been shown previously. Here, the absolute PpIX concentration in human brain tissue was investigated following oral ALA administration (20 mg kg⁻¹ b.w.). An extraction procedure was used to quantify PpIX in macroscopic tissue samples, weighing 0.013–0.214 g, obtained during FGR. The PpIX concentration was significantly higher in vital grade IV tumors (5.8 ± 4.8 μm , mean ± SD, range 0–28.2 μm , n = 8) as compared with grade III tumors (0.2 ± 0.4 μm , mean ± SD, range 0–0.9 μm , n = 4). There was also a large heterogeneity within grade IV tumors with PpIX displaying significantly lower levels in infiltration zones and necrotic regions as compared with vital tumor parts. The average PpIX concentration in vital grade IV tumor parts was in the range previously shown sufficient for PDT-induced tissue damage following irradiation. However, the feasibility of PDT for grade III brain tumors and for grade IV brain tumors displaying mainly necrotic tissue areas without solid tumor parts needs to be further investigated.     

Investigation of in vitro cytotoxic,mutagenic and anti-mutagenic effects of shirazolide extracted from Jurinea leptoloba

Shirazolide is an elemanolide isolated from Jurinea leptoloba DC. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic, mutagenic and anti-mutagenic properties of shirazolide from J. leptoloba DC in vitro. Cytotoxicity was measured using a modified MTT (3-(4,5-di methyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di phenyltetrazolium bromide) assay on normal human lymphocytes and tumor HeLa cells, showing that the cytotoxicity of shirazolide is much higher for HeLa cells than for normal lymphocytes. Mutagenic and anti-mutagenic activities of shirazolide were evaluated using the Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA98 and TA100 showing anti-mutagenic properties against the former strain under metabolic activation.     

Solvent effects in the synergistic solvent extraction of Co2+

The extraction of Co²⁺ from a 0.1M ionic strength aqueous phase (Na⁺, CH₃COOH) of pH=5.1 was studied using thenoyltrifluoroacetone, HTTA, in eight different solvents and HTTA+trioctylphosphine oxide, TOPO, in the same solvents. A comparisons of the effect of solvent dielectric constants on the equilibrium constant shows a synergism as a result of the increased hydrophobic character imparted to the metal complex due to the formation of the TOPO adduct.     

Salt effects in the synergistic solvent extraction of Co2+

The extraction of Co²⁺ by mixtures of acetylacetone (acac) and either pyridine (Py), benzylamine (ba), triethylamine (tea) or tripyridylamine (tpa) bases in xylene solvent was investigated from an aqueous phase containing salts of LiCl, NaCl, KCl, RbCl and CsCl in concentrations varying up to 3M. The different hydration properties of the alkali metal cations is show to affect very slightly the synergistic solvent extraction of Co²⁺. This result, together with previously obtained thermodynamic data indicating the nonexistence of water molecules in the extracted synergistic species, may explain the fact that these salts have no effect on the extraction of Co(acac)₂ (N-base)₂.     

Photodetection with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX in the rat abdominal cavity: drug-dose-dependent fluorescence kinetics

In 75% of cases, ovarian carcinoma has already metastasized in the abdominal cavity at the time of diagnosis. For determination of the necessity for a supplementary therapy, in addition to surgical resection, it is important to localize and stage microscopical intraperitoneal metastases of the tumor. Intraperitoneal photodetection of tumor metastases is based on preferential tumor distribution of a fluorescent tumor marker. The time-dependent differences in drug concentration between tumor and normal (T/N) tissues can be used to visualize small tumors. We performed fluorescence measurements on abdominal organs and tumor in the peritoneal cavity of rats. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was used as the fluorescent marker. Three different drug doses (100, 25 and 5 mg/kg) were used and PpIX fluorescence profiles were followed up to 24 h after intravenous administration. Maximum T/N ratios were found 2-3 h after administration of ALA with all drug doses. A significant T/N tissue contrast was obtained for all abdominal organs tested after administration of 5 mg/kg.     

Protein changes in HL60 leukemia cells associated with 5-aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy. Early effects on endoplasmic reticulum chaperones

Using two-dimensional electrophoresis we investigated the effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT; induction with 1 mM ALA for 4 h followed by blue light dose of 18 J/cm2) on the protein expression in HL60 leukemia cells. ALA-PDT resulted in extensive qualitative and quantitative changes in the protein pattern of HL60 cell lysates. Of more than 1350 protein spots recognized on the protein maps of ALA-induced cells, seven proteins were enhanced and 17 suppressed following irradiation. Three of these, calreticulin precursor, p58 microsomal protein (ERp57) and protein disulfide isomerase (p55) have been identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization-mass spectrometry and the pI/molecular weight parameters of the affected proteins were estimated by computer analysis. The findings suggest participation of endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-binding chaperones and/or Ca2+ signaling in ALA-PDT mediated cytotoxicity.     

Ionic strength effects in the synergistic solvent extraction of Co2+

The extraction of Co²⁺ by a mixture of acetylacetone (acac) and pyridine (py) from an aqueous phase of varying ionic strengths has been investigated. The extraction studies were done at different temperatures in order to determine the effect of changes in the ionic strength on the free energy ΔG, enthalpy ΔH and entropy ΔS of the synergistic reaction.     

Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic activities of sorafenib derivatives

A series of novel sorafenib derivatives have been designed and synthesized.The cytotoxic activities of these compounds were tested in three tumor cell lines.Most of the compounds showed potent antiproliferative activity against the tested cell lines with IC50= 0–20 mmol/L.Some compounds demonstrated competitive antiproliferative activities to sorafenib against all three cancer cell lines.Among them,compound 5g demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against A549,ACHN and MDAMB-231 cell lines with IC50values of 1.29,1.99,3.11 mmol/L,respectively.     

Kinetic isotope effects in the photochemical reaction cycle of ion transporting retinal proteins

The kinetics of the photochemical reaction cycle of the bacteriorhodopsin, pharaonis halorhodopsin and proteorhodopsin were determined in H2O and D2O at low and high pH, to get insight in the proton dependent steps of the transport process. While all the steps of the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle at normal pH exhibited a strong isotope effect, the proton uptake step of the photocycle, measured at high pH, became independent of deuterium exchange, making plausible that this step, at low proton concentration, becomes concentration dependent, not mobility dependent. The proton transporting photocycle of the proteorhodopsin at its normal pH (9.5) shows a marked deuterium effect, while at high pH (12.2) this effect almost totally disappears. It was shown earlier that the proton uptake step of the proteorhodopsin is at the rise of the N form. As the proton concentration decreases with rising pH this step becomes the rate limiting, proton concentration dependent step, hiding all the other isotope dependent components. In the case of halorhodopsin in all the chloride, nitrate and proton transporting conditions the photocycle was not strongly affected by the deuterium exchange. While in the cases of the first two ions this seems normal, the absence of the deuterium effect in the case of the proton transporting photocycle was a puzzle. The only plausible explanation is that in the presence of azide the halorhodopsin transports not the proton, but a negatively charged ion the OH-, the mass and mobility of which is only slightly influenced by the deuterium exchange.     

Comparison of the in vitro susceptibilities of gram-positive organisms to four macrolide antibiotics by the lipoic acid-based potentiometric procedure

The potentiometric measurement of lipoic acid reduction was used to evaluate and compare the in vitro antibacterial activity of four macrolides against sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Group A Streptococcus. Apparent growth rates of organisms submitted to different antibiotic concentrations could be calculated from the potentiometric data, and a potentiometric minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was defined as the antibiotic concentration corresponding to an apparent zero growth rate. The potentiometric MIC of roxithromycin was similar to that of josamycin. Erythromycin and spiramycin exhibited respectively the strongest and the lowest inhibiting power. These potentiometric results were in good agreement with classical MICs. They show that the lipoic acid-based assay may usefully complement the conventional tests of in vitro antibacterial susceptibility to antibiotics.     

Structural transformations in a crystal during the photochemical reaction of 2-benzyl-5-benzylidenecyclopentanone

The studies presented are the first example in which the substrate and product molecules were monitored separately over many stages during the chemical reaction progress in a crystal to understand the reaction path of the molecules in detail during the whole transformation. The BBCP, 2-benzyl-5-benzylidenecyclopentanone, single crystal was irradiated without any destruction over several steps. After each of step the X-ray structure with a different substrate/product ratio and with a disorder was determined. The study revealed that the photochemical [2+2]-cycloaddition reaction of BBCP in a crystal does not exhibit cooperative character and can be regarded as of the first-order. During the transformation the product molecules do not adopt the position of the molecules in the final pure dimer crystal, but move gradually and smoothly in this direction. The movement of the molecules was also observed for the substrate. This remarkable behaviour of the product and reactant molecules bears a rotational component. The distance between reaction centres of adjacent BBCP substrate molecules decreases fluently with the progress of the reaction, but it does not get smaller than a sum of van der Waals radii.     

Spontaneous vesicle formation in catanionic mixtures of amino acid-based surfactants: chain length symmetry effects

The use of amino acids for the synthesis of novel surfactants with vesicle-forming properties potentially enhances the biocompatibility levels needed for a viable alternative to conventional lipid vesicles. In this work, the formation and characterization of catanionic vesicles by newly synthesized lysine- and serine-derived surfactants have been investigated by means of phase behavior mapping and PFG-NMR diffusometry and cryo-TEM methods. The lysine-derived surfactants are double-chained anionic molecules bearing a pseudogemini configuration, whereas the serine-derived amphiphile is cationic and single-chained. Vesicles form in the cationic-rich side for narrow mixing ratios of the two amphiphiles. Two pairs of systems were studied: one symmetric with equal chain lengths, 2C12/C12, and the other highly asymmetric with 2C8/C16 chains, where the serine-based surfactant has the longest chain. Different mechanisms of the vesicle-to-micelle transition were found, depending on symmetry: the 2C12/C12 system entails limited micellar growth and intermediate phase separation, whereas the 2C8/C16 system shows a continuous transition involving large wormlike micelles. The results are interpreted on the basis of currently available models for the micelle-vesicle transitions and the stabilization of catanionic vesicles (energy of curvature vs mixing entropy).     

An amino trimethylene phosphonic acid-based chelated boric acid complex that works as a synergistic flame retardant for enhancing the flame retardancy of cotton fabrics

The chelating ligands of boric acid and amino trimethyl phosphonate prepared a novel flame retardant (BAP) for the cotton fabric. A stable chemical and coordination bond was formed on the surface of the cotton fibers by a simple three-curing finishing process to make the fabric exhibits excellent durable flame retardancy. Cotton fabrics' tensile strength and whiteness got substantially retained after BAP treatment. 90 g/L BAP-treated samples (3 curing times, 50 laundry cycles) showed good flame retardancy and durability, holding the largest limit oxygen index, 29.7%, and the shortest damage length, 61 mm. A condensed phase and gas phase synergistic flame retardant mechanism was concluded by thermogravimetric, cone calorimeter tests, and thermogravimetric infrared analysis.     

Simulation of proton migration pathways in phenolsulfonic acid-based membranes by B3LYP/6-31G** DFT calculations

Geometrical and energetic characteristics of clusters simulating crystal hydrates of phenolsulfonic acid (PSA) and its complexes with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and the pathways of proton transport therein were determined using the DFT (B3LYP) theory with the 6-31G** basis set. In the formation of proton-conducting PVA—PSA-based membranes, it is energetically favorable to have at least one water molecule in close proximity of the SO₃H fragment. In water-free media, the proton migration along the SO₃H group is hindered by a barrier of 30–34 kcal mol⁻¹. In the presense of water, the proton conductivity follows the relay mechanism with the activation barrier of 5–8 kcal mol⁻¹, which is close to the experimetally observed barrier of 4–6 kcal mol⁻¹. Thus, the relay mechanism of proton transfer in a sulfonic acid—water complex is energetically the most favorable. The most energetically favorable isomer is the one with the PSA and PVA fragments H-bonded through a water molecule. The deficiency of water causes the PVA OH protons to be involved in hydrogen bonding as well. The role of PVA is to align the acid molecules and participate in the relay proton transfer. Introduction of an aldehyde into the membrane results in significant improvement of its physical properties. The aldehyde reacts with the hydroxyl groups of PVA. At high humidity, one may expect little effect of the degree of cross-linking on the proton mobility.     

Controlling the photochemical reactions of alkenes by light-path length effects of a microchannel reactor

Photoirradiation of Me₂CO–H₂O solution of pent-4-en-1-ol (1a) with a high-pressure mercury lamp in a test tube gave 8-hydroxyoctan-2-one (3a) in 66 % yield along with oxetane (4a) and the isomer (4a′) in 10 % yield. Irradiation of the running Me₂CO–H₂O solution of 1a in the flow system of a microchannel reactor (MCR) gave mainly 4a. The photoreaction of 1,1-diphenylethene (2a) with triethylamine gave a Markovnikov-type adduct (5a) and an anti-Markovnikov-type adduct (6a). The use of the MCR enhanced the production of 5a. These phenomena were explained by the light-path length effects of the MCR.     

Two novel alkaloids from the stem of Saprosma hainanense and their cytotoxic activities in vitro

Two novel alkaloids, saprosmine A (1) and saprosmine B (2), were isolated from the stem of Saprosma hainanense MERR., along with five known alkaloids: marcanine A (3); cleistopholine (4); 4-methoxycarbonyl-5,10-benzogquinolinequinone (5); liriodenine (6); and quinoline (7). The chemical structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic (IR, 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR, MS) data analysis and by comparison with spectroscopic data reported in the literature. Compounds 1 to 6 were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against the SPC-A-1 (human lung cancer), BEL-7402 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), SGC-7901 (human gastric cancer), and K-562 (human myelogenous leukaemia) cancer cell lines. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak cytotoxic activities against K-562 cells. Compounds 3 and 5 showed cytotoxic activities against all four cancer cell lines.