Porphyrin effects on zwitterionic HPS micelles as investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)

In this work, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies on the interaction of three anionic mesotetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrins, TPPS4, FeTPPS4, and ZnTPPS4, at concentrations in the 2-10 mM range, with micelles of the zwitterionic surfactant 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonium) propane sulfonate (HPS, 30 mM) at pH 4.0 and 9.0 are reported. The SAXS results demonstrate that, upon addition of all species of porphyrins, the HPS micelle of prolate shape reduces its axial ratio from 1.8 +/- 0.2 (in the absence of porphyrin) to 1.5 +/- 0.1. Such an effect is accompanied by a shrinking of the paraffinic shortest semiaxis from 22.5 +/- 0.5 A to 18.0 +/- 0.2 A. This shows that the micellar hydrophobic core is affected by porphyrin incorporation, independent of the type of porphyrin and pH. Concurrently, EPR results demonstrate an increase in the micellar packing as noticed from the increase in motional restriction for both nitroxides. Furthermore, increase of the porphyrin concentration induces the appearance of a repulsive interference function over the SAXS curve of zwitterionic micelles, which is typical of an interaction between surface-charged micelles. Such a finding gives strong evidence that the negatively charged porphyrin molecule must accommodate in the HPS micelle dipole layer close to the inner positive charges (near the hydrophobic core), inducing a surface charge (probably a negative one associated with the HPS sulfonate external groups) in the original zwitterionic (overall neutral) micelle. Such a porphyrin location is favored by both electrostatic and hydrophobic contributions, giving rise to binding constant values that are quite large compared to the binding of cationic drugs to HPS micelles (Caetano, W.; Barbosa, L. R. S.; Itri, R.; Tabak, M. J. Coll. Int. Sci. 2003, 260, 414).     

Chlorpromazine and sodium dodecyl sulfate mixed micelles investigated by small angle X-ray scattering

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies are reported on the interaction of chlorpromazine (CPZ) with micelles of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Isotropic solutions of SDS (40 and 100 mM) at pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.0 in the absence and presence of CPZ (2-25 mM) were investigated at the National Laboratory of Synchrotron Light (LNLS, Campinas, Brazil). The data were analyzed through the modeling of the micellar form factor and interference function. The results evidence a micellar shape transformation from prolate ellipsoid to cylinder accompanied by micellar growth and surface charge screening as the molar ratio CPZ : SDS increases in the complex. Small ellipsoids with axial ratio nu=1.5+/-0.1 at 40 mM SDS grow and reassemble into cylinder-like aggregates upon 5 mM drug incorporation (1 CPZ : 8 SDS monomers) with a decrease of the micelle surface charge. At 10 mM CPZ : 40 mM SDS cylindrical micelles are totally screened with an axial ratio nu approximately 2.5. The data also indicate the presence of small prolate ellipsoids (nu=1.7+/-0.1) in solutions of 100 mM SDS (no drug) and micellar growth (nu approximately 2.0 and 4.0) when 10 and 25 mM CPZ are added to the system. In the latter case, the aggregate is also better represented by a cylinder-like form. Therefore, our results demonstrate that the axial ratio and shape evolution of the surfactant : phenothiazine complex are both SDS concentration and drug : SDS molar ratio dependent. The drug location close to the SDS polar headgroup region without disrupting in a significant way both the paraffinic hydrophobic core and the polar shell thickness is inferred. SAXS data made it possible to obtain the shapes and dimensions of CPZ/SDS aggregates.     

Fluorescence quenching of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin by colloidal TiO(2)

A stable colloidal TiO(2) has been prepared. The interaction of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TSPP) with colloidal TiO(2) was studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Upon excitation of its absorption band, the fluorescence emission of TSPP was quenched by colloidal TiO(2). The bimolecular quenching rate constant (k(q)) is 1.78 x 10(11)M(-1)s(-1). The porphyrin can participate in the quenching process by injecting electrons from its excited states into the conduction band of TiO(2). The quenching mechanism is discussed on the basis of the quenching rate constant as well as the reduction potential of the colloidal TiO(2). Rehm-Weller equation was applied for the calculation of free energy change (DeltaG(et)).     

Self-assembling of phenothiazine compounds investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) have been carried out to investigate the structure of the self-aggregates of two phenothiazine drugs, chlorpromazine (CPZ) and trifluoperazine (TFP), in aqueous solution. In the SAXS studies, drug solutions of 20 and 60 mM, at pH 4.0 and 7.0, were investigated and the best data fittings were achieved assuming several different particle form factors with a homogeneous electron density distribution in respect to the water environment. Because of the limitation of scattering intensity in the q range above 0.15 A(-1), precise determination of the aggregate shape was not possible and all of the tested models for ellipsoids, cylinders, or parallelepipeds fitted the experimental data equally well. The SAXS data allows inferring, however, that CPZ molecules might self-assemble in a basis set of an orthorhombic cell, remaining as nanocrystallites in solution. Such nanocrystals are composed of a small number of unit cells (up to 10, in c-direction), with CPZ aggregation numbers of 60-80. EPR spectra of 5- and 16-doxyl stearic acids bound to the aggregates were analyzed through simulation, and the dynamic and magnetic parameters were obtained. The phenothiazine concentration in EPR experiments was in the range of 5-60 mM. Critical aggregation concentration of TFP is lower than that for CPZ, consistent with a higher hydrophobicity of TFP. At acidic pH 4.0 a significant residual motion of the nitroxide relative to the aggregate is observed, and the EPR spectra and corresponding parameters are similar to those reported for aqueous surfactant micelles. However, at pH 6.5 a significant motional restriction is observed, and the nitroxide rotational correlation times correlate very well with those estimated for the whole aggregated particle from SAXS data. This implies that the aggregate is densely packed at this pH and that the nitroxide is tightly bound to it producing a strongly immobilized EPR spectrum. Besides that, at pH 6.5 the differences in motional restriction observed between 5- and 16-DSA are small, which is different from that observed for aqueous surfactant micelles.     

Study on the supramolecular system of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin and cyclodextrins by spectroscopy

The ability of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), sulfurbutylether-beta-CD (SBE-beta-CD) and hydroxypropyl-beta-CD (HP-beta-CD) to break the aggregate of the meso-Tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (TPPS4) and to form 2:1 inclusion complexes has been studied by adsorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The formation constants are calculated, respectively by fluoremetry, from which the inclusion capacity of different CDs is compared and the inclusion mechanism of charged-beta-CD (SBE-beta-CD) is quite different from that of parent beta-CD. At lower pH, the complexation between HP-beta-CD and H2TPPS(2+)4 (the form of the diprotonated TPPS4) hampers the continuous protonation of the pyrrole nitrogen of TPPS4 and the hydrophobic cavity may prefer to bind an apolar neutral porphyrin molecule. 1HNMR data support the inclusion conformation of the porphyrin-cyclodextrin supramolecular system, indicating the interaction of meso-phenyl groups of TPPS4 with the cavity of CDs. For this host-guest inclusion model, cyclodextrin, being regarded as the protein component, which acts as a carrier enveloping the active site of heme prosthetic group within its hydrophobic environment, provides a protective sheath for porphyrin, creating artificial analogues of heme-containing proteins. However, the TPPS4, encapsulated within this saccharide-coated barrier, its physico-chemical, photophysical and photochemical properties changed strongly.     

Interaction of Fe3+meso-tetrakis (2,6-dichloro-3-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin with cationic bilayers: magnetic switching of the porphyrin and magnetic induction at the interface

An organized multilayer was constructed by the layer-by-layer technique in which alternating layers of metalloporphyrin and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide bilayers were deposited onto an indium tin oxide surface electrode. The porphyrin molecules that are organized in the different layers showed a strong electroactivity with a well-defined electrochemical process. In LbL, electroactivity could be explained only by the occurrence of electron hoping. Thus, total Kohn?CSham density functional theory (KS-DFT) was performed to better understand the conditions responsible for the electroactivity of the metalloporphyrin layers intercalated by an insulating material. Total KS-DFT theory involves local density approximation energy calculations based on spin-polarized variant of KS-DFT theory. The results revealed a magnetization switching of the metalloporphyrin induced by the interaction with the surfactant bilayer accompanied by spin polarization of the porphyrin-interacting surfactant molecule. Although discrete, the surfactant magnetization had significant repercussions on the electron conductivity. Calculations also demonstrated loss of porphyrin symmetry promoted by a parent surfactant with a shorter hydrocarbon chain, ditetradecyldimethylammonium bromide. The calculation results were corroborated by experimental results obtained by the electron paramagnetic resonance and magnetic circular dichroism techniques.     

Organic matter transformation in the environment investigated by quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy: studies on lignins

The lignins separated from angiosperm and gymnosperm trees, peat and xylitic brown coal were investigated by quantitative EPR. Observed free radicals in lignins are sensitive to alkaline environment. Gaseous ammonia interacting with solid lignins in resonance cavity shifts quinone-hydroquinone equilibria towards formation of semiquinone anions. Complexation of copper(II) by lignins causes drastic decrease of the semiquinones in the matrices. Formation of lignin-Pb(II) complexes yielded radicals characterised by unusually low g-value (1.9999-2.0003). Monomeric structural units of the investigated lignins were recognised by pyrolysis with in situ methylation by tetramethylammonium hydroxide. Although for the natural lignins the mixture of normal semiquinone signals at g about 2.0034 and signals at g 1.9999 were observed, some monomeric components of lignins (e.g., caffeic acid, pyrogallol) gave pure lines at g = 1.9999. The bacterial oxidative biodegradation of lignin monomeric components and their Pb(II) complexes resulted in increase of the radical signals.     

Interaction of the meso-tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin with gel and liquid state phospholipid vesicles

The interaction of the cationic meso-tetrakis 4-N-methylpyridyl porphyrin (TMPyP) with large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) was investigated in the present study. LUVs were formed by mixtures of the zwitterionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and anionic 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (DPPG) phospholipids, at different DPPG molar percentages. All investigations were carried out above (50 °C) and below (25 °C) the main phase transition temperature of the LUVs (~41 °C). The binding constant values, K(b), estimated from the time-resolved fluorescence study, showed a significant increase of the porphyrin affinity at higher mol% DPPG. This affinity is markedly increased when the LUVs are in the liquid crystalline state. For both situations, the increase of the K(b) value was also followed by a higher porphyrin fraction bound to the LUVs. The displacement of the vesicle-bound porphyrins toward the aqueous medium, upon titration with the salt potassium chloride (KCl), was also studied. Altogether, our steady-state and frequency-domain fluorescence quenching data results indicate that the TMPyP is preferentially located at the LUVs Stern layer. This is supported by the zeta potential studies, where a partial neutralization of the LUVs surface charge, upon porphyrin titration, was observed. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) results showed that, for some phospholipid systems, this partial neutralization leads to the LUVs flocculation.     

Electrochemical processes of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphine at a silver electrode studied by surface-enhanced resonance raman spectroscopy

The potential dependence of surface-enhanced resonance Roman spectra of meso-tetrakis (4-sulfonatophenyl) porphine (TSPP) in 0.05 M H₂SO₄ reveals two electrochemical processes at a silver electrode surface. One which begins around ?0.3 V is interpreted as dissociation of aggregated TSPP to monomers. The other which occurs near ?0.4 V is ascribed to a partial Ag incorporation of TSPP molecules.     

Thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of mineral chrysocolla (dioptase)

The natural mineral chrysocolla (CuSiO₃·2H₂O) has been investigated in terms of thermally stimulated luminescence and EPR measurements. The glow curves for natural samples present three glow peaks at 190, 357 and 450°C. Pre annealed and subsequently irradiated samples give rise to four glow peaks at 140°C, 193°C, 305°C and 450°C. The formation of H^o centers at the expense of water molecules present in the channels has been identified by EPR measurements.     

Trifluoperazine effects on anionic and zwitterionic micelles: a study by small angle X-ray scattering

In this work small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies on the interaction of the phenothiazine trifluoperazine (TFP, 2-10 mM), a cationic drug, with micelles of the zwitterionic surfactant 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonium) propane sulfonate (HPS, 30 mM) and the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, 40 mM) at pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.0 are reported. The data were analyzed through the modeling of the micellar form factor and interference function, as well as by means of the distance distribution function p(r). For anionic micelles (SDS), the results evidence a micellar shape transformation from prolate ellipsoid to cylinder accompanied by micellar growth and surface charge screening as the molar ratio TFP:SDS increases in the complex for all values of pH. Small ellipsoids with axial ratio nu=1.5+/-0.1 (long dimension of 60 A) grow and reassemble into cylinder-like aggregates upon 5 mM drug incorporation (1 TFP:8 SDS monomers) with a decrease of the micelle surface charge. At 10 mM TFP:40 mM SDS cylindrical micelles are totally screened with an axial ratio nu approximately 4 (long dimension approximately 140 A at pH 7.0 and 9.0). However, at pH 4.0, where the drug is partially diprotonated, 10 mM TFP incorporation gives rise to a huge increase in micellar size, resulting in micelles at least 400 A long, without altering the intramicellar core. For zwitterionic micelles (HPS), the results have shown that the aggregates also resemble small prolate ellipsoids with averaged axial ratio approximately nu=1.6+/-0.1. Under TFP addition, both the paraffinic radius and the micellar size show a slight decrease, giving evidence that the micellar hydrophobic core may be affected by phenothiazine incorporation rather than that observed for the SDS/TFP comicelle. Therefore, our results demonstrate that the axial ratio and shape evolution of the surfactant:TFP complex are both dependent on surfactant surface-charge and drug:surfactant molar ratio. The results are compared with those recently obtained for another phenothiazine drug, chlorpromazine (CPZ), in SDS and HPS micelles (Caetano, Gelamo, Tabak, and Itri, J. Colloid Interface Science 248 (2002) 149).     

Radiation effect on thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of pink beryl

Morganite, a pink beryl with the chemical formula Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈, was investigated in terms of its thermally stimulated luminescence (TL) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties due to point defects. Atomic hydrogen H°-centers were induced by γ-radiation and shown to be responsible for a 165°C TL peak. The Fe³⁺-center concentration was found to increase with γ-dose, observed by both TL and EPR measurements, decreasing with thermal treatments beyond 250°C. A mechanism for emission around 315°C is proposed.     

Inclusion Complexes of Cyclodextrins with Tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin and Tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin in Aqueous Solutions

In neutral and alkaline solutions, tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) and tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TSPP) form 1:1 and 2:1 host–guest inclusion complexes with -cyclodextrin (-CD), -cyclodextrin (-CD), and 6-deoxy-6-diethylamino--CD (DEA--CD), except for DEA--CD in alkaline solution. On the other hand, TCPP and TSPP form only 1:1 inclusion complexes with 6-deoxy-6-dihexylamino--CD (DHA--CD). The limited solubilities of DEA--CD in alkaline solution and DHA--CD are likely responsible for no observation of the 2:1 inclusion complex containing DEA--CD in alkaline solution and that containing DHA--CD. The equilibrium constants (Ks) of TCPP and TSPP for the formation of the inclusion complexes have been estimated from the absorption and/or fluorescence intensity changes in neutral and alkaline solutions. The K₂ values, which are the equilibrium constants for the formation of the 2:1 host–guest inclusion complex from the 1:1 inclusion complex, are about one tenth the corresponding K₁ values, except for the -CD–TSPP system in alkaline solution. In neutral solution, where DEA--CD and DHA--CD are in protonated forms, the electrostatic force operates between DEA--CD (DHA--CD) and TCPP (TSPP), leading to the greater K values than those in alkaline solution, where DEA--CD and DHA--CD exist as neutral species.     

Development of crazes in polycarbonate,investigated by ultra small angle X-ray scattering of synchrotron radiation

The development of crazes in polycarbonate is investigated with the method of ultra small angle X-ray scattering of synchrotron radiation. Measurements at T = 130°C are discussed. The two-dimensional scattering patterns are analysed by means of a simple fibrillar model of the crazes. The geometrical parameters of the crazes as a function of the macroscopic draw ratio λ_d are determined using a curve-fitting procedure. The craze fibril volume fraction ν_f shows a complex dependence on λ_d.     

A study of the effect of formalin preservation on normal and cancerous breast tissues using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) has the ability to provide information on a molecular and supra-molecular scale from biological tissue specimens. It has been postulated that this information will be useful in providing histopathological diagnoses for certain diseases of the breast. In this category, we include cancer, a major health problem for a number of populations around the world. So far studies in our group have been made using flash-frozen tissue samples. This limits the range and ease of use of the technique. If we were able to obtain the same information from preserved tissues then a more extensive use of SAXS diagnosis would be possible. Here we report on the first investigations into this possibility. In the research reported in this paper, 84 human breast biopsies including cancer and normal tissues were obtained from human patients. Small angle scatter data were collected at station 2.1 of the SRS at the Daresbury Laboratory, UK using a beam size of 0.25 mm² at the sample and a wavelength of 1.54 Å. The sample to detector distance was 2000 mm.The results verify that there is a quantifiable difference between the scatter curves from flash-frozen cancer and normal breast tissue in the range of scatter vector Q between 0.4 and 0.7 nm⁻¹. After preserving the tissues in formalin, the difference between the normal and cancerous tissues is less marked. The preservation of the tissue in formalin can essentially mask the effects that disease would have on the tissue supra-molecular structure rendering the preserved specimens of less useful for this histopathology technique.     

Small-angle X-ray scattering and electron paramagnetic resonance study of the interaction of bovine serum albumin with ionic surfactants

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques have been used to monitor the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with ionic surfactants such as anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), zwitterionic N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonium-1-propane sulfonate (HPS), and cationic cethyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) at pH 7.0. The SAXS results have shown that in the presence of 5 mM SDS and HPS the radius of gyration (Rg) almost does not change as compared to the BSA free-surfactant solution; its value is ca. 30 Angstroms. In the presence of 5 mM CTAC the SAXS data indicate the presence of a particle with a Rg of at least 63 Angstroms, suggesting that in this case, a kind of protein aggregation takes place. In the presence of SDS and HPS surfactants at concentrations above 10 mM, a characteristic broad peak in the region of 0.12-0.18 Angstroms(-1) indicates the presence of micelle-like aggregates in solution. The SAXS curves are consistent with the "pearl necklace" model, where micelle-like aggregates are randomly distributed around the polypeptide chain. EPR results using 5-DSA and 16-DSA spin labels show that in the presence of BSA the EPR spectra are composed of two label populations, one contacting the protein and a second one due to label localization in the micelles. Evidence is also obtained for a competition of the surfactants with the spin labels for the high-affinity binding sites of the stearic acid spin labels as monitored by changes in the fractions of the two label populations as the surfactant concentration is increased. The effect of SDS seems to be stronger in the sense that increased SDS concentration leads to a complete transfer of spin labels from close protein contact sites to micelles, while for HPS, a significant immobilization of probe apparently remains even at higher surfactant concentrations. These two techniques are quite useful since SAXS monitors the overall properties of the scattering particle, while EPR gives information on the dynamics inside this particle and associated with label localization and motion.     

Self-assembly of meso-tetrakis(4-N-ethylpyridiniurmyl) porphyrin and tetracarboxyl-phenyl calix[4]arene

Novel dimeric capsules are generated from the noncovalent assembly of 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis(4-N-ethylpyridiniurmyl)prophyrin (TEPyP) and tetracarboxyl-phenyl calix[4]arene. The self-assembly system was investigated based on UV-Vis absorption and fluorescent spectra. The factors affecting the interaction process including pH and concentration were examined in detail. The association constants between TEPyP and calix[4]arene were determined by the nonlinear least squares fit. The results showed that the basic medium is favourable to the interaction and electrostatic interaction was determinate in the processes of self-assembly process. The related mechanism was discussed.