Nonexponential statistics of fluorescence photobleaching

In this paper, I consider theoretical models of the decay via photobleaching of a sample of surface-immobilized fluorescent molecules excited by a spatially varying laser intensity profile. I show that, with mild restrictions on the photobleaching mechanism, the fluorescence decay measured in a nonuniform excitation profile is always nonexponential. Under the same conditions, the fluorescence decay can always be approximated by a discrete sum of exponentials. A particular example is given in which a homogeneous population of fluorophores with a single (intensity-dependent) photobleaching lifetime, when illuminated by a Gaussian laser, exhibits power law fluorescence decay at long times. These results indicate that the observation of multiple exponentials in single molecule or ensemble photobleaching lifetime measurements can arise solely as an artifact of a spatially varying laser profile and is not necessarily indicative of heterogeneity in molecular internal states, conformation, or local environment.     

Interaction between some metal tetrasulphonated phthalocyanines and apocytochrome-c

Artificial cytochromes-c have been prepared with zinc and vanadyl tetrasulphonated phthalocyanines in place of heme. Their structure and properties have been investigated by CD and difference spectroscopy, molecular weight determination and peptide fragments examination.     

Competition between multiphoton fluorescence and multiphoton ionization in NO

A nitrogen laser pumped tunable dye laser has been used to observe the three-photon ionization of NO through a two-photon resonance with the C²II state. Fluorescence is also observed from this state. The wavelength dependence of both signals have been measured. A reaction mechanism is postulated, which includes the initial two-photon excitation of the C²II state as the rate-limiting step. This mechanism predicts the observed second-order intensity dependence of the ionization signal and shows that the simple rate equation treatment is valid in this system.     

Single molecule blinking and photobleaching separated by wide-field fluorescence microscopy

Single molecule fluorescence detection of Atto590 in poly(vinyl alcohol) was achieved by using a wide-field epifluorescence microscope with CCD-camera detection. Image sequences are obtained from which the time traces of the detected molecules are built. We find a distinctive difference between the time evolution of the fluorescence originating from the molecules detected in the first image of the sequence compared to the time evolution of the fluorescence of the molecules detected in each image of the sequence. Atto590 shows very long blinking times and photobleaching and photoblinking that are both quadratically dependent on the irradiation power density. Our approach allows kinetic separation of photobleaching from blinking. The possibility of choosing different ensembles of molecules is demonstrated and taken advantage of for this aim. Initially dark molecules or low emitting ones that might be overlooked are important to describe the complete ensemble behavior.     

Cellular uptake and photosensitizing properties of anticancer porphyrins in cell membranes and low and high density lipoproteins

The mechanisms of the phototoxic effect of anticancer porphyrins used in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumours are not yet completely understood. Irradiation of porphyrins gives rise to singlet oxygen which reacts with key residues of proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol in membranes, leading to inactivation of various enzymes and transporters. Lipoproteins, mainly low density lipoproteins (LDL), are efficient carriers of anticancer porphyrins in blood and can deliver these photosensitizers to tissues through the apolipoprotein (apo) B/E specific LDL receptor pathway. In this review, we discuss some aspects of anticancer porphyrin transport, cellular uptake and photosensitizing properties in cell membranes and lipoproteins.     

Solvent-assisted, accelerated photobleaching and fluorescence recovery of conjugated polymer film

The fluorescence of conjugated polymer film was effectively quenched in polar protic solvent upon UV light irradiation and recovered by aging-in-air or reneutralization with amine.     

Relationship between mTHPC fluorescence photobleaching and cell viability during in vitro photodynamic treatment of DP16 cells

An implicit dosimetric model has been proposed in which biological damage caused by photodynamic therapy (PDT) is monitored through the decrease in sensitizer fluorescence during treatment. To investigate this, in vitro experiments were performed in which DP16 cells were incubated in meta-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (mTHPC) and then irradiated with 514 nm light. Photosensitizer concentration, fluence rate and oxygenation were independently controlled and monitored during the treatment. Fluorescence of mTHPC was continuously monitored via a charge-coupled device-coupled spectrometer during treatment and, at selected fluence levels, cell viability was determined using a trypan blue exclusion assay. The relationship of cell viability to normalized fluorescence was obtained for the different treatment conditions. The relationship was independent of cell medium oxygenation, treatment fluence rate and sensitizer incubation concentration except at a high mTHPC concentration (4 microg/mL). This relationship suggests that fluorescence bleaching may be used to predict mTHPC PDT damage in vitro.     

Effects of organic and aqueous solvents on the electronic absorption and fluorescence of chloroaluminum (III) tetrasulphonated naphthalocyanine

The effects of various solvents on the ground and excited states of chloroaluminum (III) tetrasulphonated naphthalocyanine (AlNcS(4)) were studied. Both the absorbance and fluorescence spectra were found to be influenced by the hydrogen bond donating ability of various solvents. As the hydrogen bond donating ability of the solvent increased, hypsochromic and bathochromic shifts in the absorbance and fluorescence spectra were observed in protic and aprotic solvents respectively. Plots of the absorbance and fluorescence maxima versus the E(T)(30) solvent parameter showed linear relationships in binary mixtures of protic-protic (methanol-H(2)O) and aprotic-protic (DMSO-H(2)O) solvents. Aggregation was indicated by a broad band in the ground state absorption spectra and a low quantum efficiency 0.04 relative to the efficiency observed in organic solvents. A face-to-face conformation of the monomeric subunits of the dimer is suggested due to the red-shifted absorbance band. The acid-base properties of the dye were studied and were indicative of a multi-step process. In acidic conditions (pH 1), protonation of the bridging nitrogen atoms was identified by a broad band appearing red-shifted to those obtained at higher pH values. Under slightly acidic conditions a pKa value of 6.7 was determined for one of the meso-nitrogen. In alkaline conditions a pKa of 11.5 was determined for another meso-nitrogen and a second fluorescence band emerged at 804 nm, red-shifted to the emission maxima.     

Self-diffusion of rodlike and spherical particles in a matrix of charged colloidal spheres: a comparison between fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

The fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method and the fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) have been applied on suspensions of highly charged colloidal spheres with a small content of rod-shaped tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles. Since these methods only determine the self-diffusion coefficient of the fluorescently labeled species, D(S) of the rods and the spheres could independently be measured. The ionic strength of the dispersion medium has been varied to measure self-diffusion of rods and spheres in dependence on the degree of order of the matrix spheres. In contrast to FRAP, which allows the determination of the long-time self-diffusion coefficient D(S) (L), FCS measures self-diffusion on a shorter time scale. Thus a comparison of the results that were obtained by FCS and FRAP, in combination with Brownian Dynamics simulations, gives insight into the time dependence of the self-diffusion coefficient of an interacting colloidal system. As the mean interparticle distance of the matrix is of the same order of magnitude as the length of a TMV rod, the rotational motion is influenced by the assembly of spheres around a TMV particle. Since FCS is sensitive both to translational and rotational motion, whereas FRAP, which probes the diffusion at much larger length scales, is only sensitive to the translational motion of TMV, the comparison of diffusion coefficients measured employing FRAP and FCS can give some insights in the rotational diffusion: the experimental data indicate a slowing down of the rotational motion of a TMV rod with increasing structural order of the matrix spheres.     

Combining optical trapping and single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy: enhanced photobleaching of fluorophores

To obtain high-resolution information on position or conformation of a molecule and at the same time apply forces to it, one can combine optical trapping with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy. The technical challenge in such an experiment is to discriminate a minute fluorescence signal from the much larger background signals caused by the trap and the fluorescence excitation laser light. We show here that this is feasible even when the fluorophore is directly attached to the trapped particle, by using optimized optical filters. We found, however, that the photostability of the fluorophores we tested suffered from the presence of the additional laser light used for trapping. We found that bleaching rates increased linearly with both the intensity of the trapping laser and the intensity of the fluorescence excitation light. Photobleaching rates were unaffected by the presence or absence of oxygen, but were significantly diminished in the presence of antioxidants. Our results indicate that the enhanced photobleaching is caused by the absorption of a visible photon followed by the excited-state absorption of a near-infrared photon. The higher excited singlet states generated in this way readily form nonfluorescent dye cations. We found that different dyes suffer to a different extent from the excited-state absorption, with Cy3 being worst and tetramethylrhodamine least affected.     

Capillary electrophoresis of urinary porphyrins with absorbance and fluorescence detection

Urinary porphyrins are separated in a 72 cm x 50 microns I.D. fused-silica capillary by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with 100 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 20 mM 3-(cyclohexylamino)-1-propanesulfonic acid at pH 11. Detection is accomplished by absorbance at 400 nm or fluorescence with excitation at 400 nm and emission at wavelengths above 550 nm. Substantial trace enrichment is found for porphyrins in urine samples or for porphyrin standards prepared without surfactant in the injection buffer. Limits of detection are in the 100 pmol/ml concentration range with an optimized fluorescence system. The method is shown suitable for the determination of porphyrins in clinical urine specimens. Comparisons are made between electrophoretic and chromatographic methods for the separation and detection of urinary porphyrins.     

Fine-structure vibronic fluorescence spectra of meso-substituted porphyrins and their interpretation

Fine-structure fluorescence spectra have been recorded on selective laser excitation at 4.2 K for meso-tetraethylporphyrin (TEP), meso-tetrapropyl-porphyrin (TPP) and their derivatives with deuteriated NH groups. An interpretation of the spectra obtained is proposed on the basis of calculations of the normal vibrations of the molecules. It was noted that the interaction of the ethyl groups of TEP with the solvent leads to different orientations of these groups to the plane of the macrocycle, which leads to an increase in the number of lines in the frequency range 150–400 cm^–1 and to their broadening.Translated from Teoreticheskie i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 26, No. 6, pp. 664–668, November–December, 1990.     

Spectro-electrochemistry of cobalt and iron tetrasulphonated phthalocyanines

Cobatl and iron derivatives of tetrasulphonated phthalocyanine (TsPc) have been studied by spectroelectrochemistry in aqueous solution at pH 2–10. For CoTsPc, two reduced species are observed: yellow [Co(I)TsPc(−2)]⁻ and pink [Co(I)TsPc(−3)]²⁻, over the entire pH range. In acid, oxidation gives a monomeric [Co(III)TsPc(−2)]⁺ species; in base, in equilibrium exists between monomeric and dimeric forms of [Co(III)TsPc(−2)]⁺, whose relative concentration depends upon concentration of CoTsPc, ionic strength, pH and temperature. Reduction of [Fe(III)TsPc(−2)]⁺ solutions gives green Fe(II)TsPc(−2) and pink [Fe(I)TsPc(−2)]⁻ over the entire pH range. Oxidation gives a product which appears to be an [Fe(IV)TsPc]²⁺ species. Differences between the spectra of the species and in the species obtained at different pH values, and aggregation effects are discussed with reference to the nature of axial coordination to the central metal atoms.     

Interaction between certain porphyrins and CdS colloids: a steady state and time resolved fluorescence quenching study

The interaction between porphyrins namely, meso-tetrakis (4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin (TMeOPP), protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) and Zinc(II) meso-tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP) with colloidal CdS has been studied by using steady state and time resolved fluorescence quenching measurements. The porphyrins adsorbed on the surface of colloidal CdS due to electrostatic interaction. This adsorption leads to changes in the absorption spectra related to the complex formation. The apparent association constant (Kapp) was in the order of 4.34-5.58 x 10(5) M(-1) from the effect of colloidal CdS on the absorption spectra and 0.64-1.6 x 10(5) M(-1) from fluorescence quenching data. Quenching is attributable mainly to static mechanism through ground state complex formation as confirmed by lifetime measurements.     

Enhanced detection of porphyrins by capillary electrophoresis-laser induced fluorescence

A highly sensitive technique for the analysis of urinary porphyrins using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection is reported. Separation of mesoporphyrin IX, coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin and the penta-, hexa- and heptacarboxylic acid porphyrins was achieved in 11 min using a 10 mM 2-(N-cyclohexylamino)ethanesulfonic acid (CHES, pH 10) -75 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) buffer. Migration time and peak area repeatability were less than 1 and 5% relative standard deviation (RSD), respectively. Limits of detection of 20 pM (2 x 10(-11) M) were achieved employing the recently introduced Nichia violet diode laser for excitation at 400 nm. This represents an enhancement in sensitivity of over two orders of magnitude compared to previous reports. This high sensitivity for urinary porphyrins was demonstrated through the quantification of coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin in urine samples after up to a 100-fold dilution.     

Cationic porphyrins with inverted pyridinium groups and their fluorescence properties

One of the applications of cationic porphyrins is their use in microbial photodynamic inactivation (PDI). For this purpose there is a constant quest for new cationic photoactive derivatives. In this work, we synthesized and fully characterized a new porphyrin 3a and the corresponding cationic derivative 3b. The results presented here show that meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (TPPF₂₀, 1) can be used as scaffold to prepare different soluble compounds with interesting photophysical properties.     

Supramolecular interactions between fullerenes and porphyrins

Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof density functional theory calculations have been carried out to investigate the host-guest interactions for several fullerene-porphyrin supramolecular complexes. The nature of the interactions has been discussed. The fullerene-porphyrin interaction energies for the complexes studied are found to be in the range from -16 to -18 kcal/mol.     

Absorption and fluorescence properties of aryl substituted porphyrins in different media

Absorption and fluorescence properties of aryl substituted porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetra-4-oxy(aceticacid)phenylporphyrin (TAPP), 5,10,15,20-tetra-(4-phenoxyphenyl) porphyrin (TPPP), 5,10,15,20-tetra-(3-bromo-4-hydroxyphenyl) porphyrin (TBHPP), and 5,10,15,20-tetra-p-chloromethylphenyl porphyrin (CMPP) were investigated. The UV/vis absorption, fluorescence and excited spectra as the fluorescence quantum yields and fluorescence lifetimes for the compounds were measured in organic solvents (chloroform (CHCl₃), tetrahydrofuran (THF)) and immobilized media (PVC film, sol–gel matrix). The fluorescence quantum yields of TAPP and TPPP were higher than the others. The fluorescence lifetimes of all studied porphyrin derivates were found to be fifty percent lower and their fluorescence intensities were increased fifty percent more in both of immobilized mediums, as compared to organic solvents.     

Chemical reactions between muonium and porphyrins

The rate constants for reaction of muonium atoms with hemin and the protoporphyrin are found to be 2.7 × 10⁹ and 6 × 10⁸ M^?1 s^?1, respectively. The reaction mechanisms are mainly through the addition to the conjugated double bond for the protoporphyrin and by reductions or partial spin conversion processes for the hemin solutions. The point of reaction is suggested to be the peripheral site of the porphyrin molecules.