Synthesis of trimethylammoniumphenylthio-substituted phthalocyanines with different pattern of substitution

The base-catalyzed cyclotetramerization of 3-, 4- and 4,5-dimethylaminophenylthio phthalonitriles with zinc(II)acetate afforded 1(4),8(11),15(18),22(25)- and 2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-tetrasubstituted and 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octasubstituted Zn(II)phthalocyanines, respectively. The statistical mixed condensation of the same phthalonitriles with 1,2-dicyanobenzene gave the corresponding mono- and disubstituted derivatives. Methylation of such products afforded a series of cationic Zn(II)phthalocyanines with different pattern of substitution, with potential use as photodynamic agents in microbial infections.     

Irradiation of Amelanotic Melanoma Cells with 532 nm High Peak Power Pulsed Laser Radiation in the Presence of the Photothermal Sensitizer Cu(II)-Hematoporphyrin: A New Approach to Cell Photoinactivation

Cu(II)-hematoporphyrin (CuHp) was efficiently accumulated by B78H1 amelanotic melanoma cells upon incubation with porphyrin concentrations up to 52 microM. When the cells incubated for 18 h with 13 microM CuHp were irradiated with 532 nm light from a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser operated in a pulsed mode (10 ns pulses, 10 Hz) a significant decrease in cell survival was observed. The cell photoinactivation was not the consequence of a photodynamic process, as CuHp gave no detectable triplet signal upon laser flash photolysis excitation and no decrease in cell survival was observed upon continuous wave irradiation. Thus, it is likely that CuHp sensitization takes place by photothermal pathways. The efficiency of the photoprocess was modulated by different parameters; thus, while varying the amount of added CuHp in the 3.25-26 microM range had little effect, pulse energies larger than 50 mJ and irradiation times of at least 120 s were necessary to induce a cell inactivation of about 50%. The porphyrin-cell incubation time prior to irradiation had a major influence on cell survival, suggesting that the nature of the CuHp microenvironment can control the efficiency of photothermal sensitization.     

AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF TUMORS PHOTOSENSITIZED BY PORPHYRINS ADMINISTERED IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION, BOUND TO LIPOSOMES OR TO LIPOPROTEINS

Abstract— Balb/c mice bearing a transplantedMS–2 fibrosarcoma have been injected with 2 mg kg^-1 hematoporphyrin either dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline (Hp-aq), or incorporated into unilamellar liposomes of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (Hp-lip), or precomplexed with low density lipoproteins (Hp-LDL). At 24 h after injection, the mice received 150 J cm^-2 of600–680 nm light irradiation. Electron microscopic studies performed on tumor tissues taken from mice sacrificed at different times after the phototreatment showed that, in the presence of Hp-aq. tumor necrosis is largely the consequence of vascular damage. On the other hand, in the presence of Hp-lip and Hp-LDL, the response of the tumor to the phototreatment occurs at a faster rate and is mainly determined by direct damage of neoplastic cells. These findings are correlated with the different distribution of the various hematoporphyrin forms (Hp-aq, Hp-lip, Hp-LDL) among the serum proteins and the modalities of hematoporphyrin delivery to tissues by the possible carriers.     

Inactivation of vascular smooth muscle cells photosensitised by liposome-delivered Zn(II)-phthalocyanine

Photodynamic therapy is a promising approach for the prevention of arterial restenosis, which frequently occurs after balloon angioplasty, largely owing to abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and their migration from the media to the intima, where they originate intimal hyperplasia (IH). We investigated the efficacy of Zn(II)-phthalocyanine-photosensitised processes in promoting the inactivation of VSMC. This liposome delivered phthalocyanine is readily taken up by VSMC, largely partitions in the Golgi apparatus, and upon photoactivation causes >95% cell mortality using mild irradiation conditions (e.g. 5 min irradiation at 1 microM ZnPc). Cell death occurs through the parallel development of random necrotic and apoptotic processes.     

ROLE OF SPECIFIC CELLULAR TARGETS IN THE HEMATOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOINACTIVATION OF MICROBIAL CELLS

Abstract The hematoporphyrin-sensitized photoinactivation of Candida albicans is mainly carried out by porphyrin molecules which are present in the cell-incubation medium. Photoexcitation of hematoporphyrin by visible light appears to cause limited biochemical and functional alterations of the cytoplasmic membrane; this allows the penetration of the dye into the cell, with a consequent important photoinactivation of the mitochondria. The latter process is of critical importance for the decrease in the survival of the irradiated cells.     

Si (IV)-methoxyethylene-glycol-naphthalocyanine: synthesis and pharmacokinetic and photosensitizing properties in different tumour models

A Si(IV)-naphthalocyanine bearing two methoxyethylenglycol axial ligands to the centrally coordinated metal ion (SiNc) was prepared by chemical synthesis and assayed for the phototherapeutic activity after administration in a Cremophor formulation to C57BI/6 mice bearing a subcutaneously transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma or B16 pigmented melanoma. Pharmacokinetic studies indicate that the maximal accumulation in the tumour occurs at 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 mg kg⁻¹ of SiNc, although the naphthalocyanine concentration in the Lewis lung carcinoma (0.70 μg g⁻¹) is significantly larger than that in the B16 pigmented melanoma (0.15 μg g⁻¹). This result in a higher selectivity of tumour targeting in the case of the lung carcinoma. Photodynamic therapy (782 nm, 370 mW cm⁻², 360 J cm⁻²) at 24 h after SiNc injection causes an efficient tumour response for Lewis lung carcinoma (50% lower tumour diameter on day 19 post-treatment as compared to untreated controls) while the pigmented melanoma shows only a minor response regarding the rate of tumour growth.     

Porphyrins and related compounds as photoactivatable insecticides. 3. Laboratory and field studies

The exposure of populations of Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly), Bactrocera oleae (olive fly) and Stomoxis calcitrans (house fly) to a bait containing mumolar concentrations of porphyrin-type photosensitizers resulted in a significant accumulation of the porphyrin by the insects and a consequent development of photosensitivity upon exposure to visible light. The photoinsecticidal activity appeared to increase with increasing hydrophobicity of the porphyrin molecule: thus, the amphiphilic dicationic meso-di(cis-4N-methyl-pyridyl)-cis-diphenyl-porphine (n-octanol/water partition coefficient = 20) was markedly more efficient than its tricationic analogue or the dianionic hematoporphyrin (n-octanol/water partition coefficient = 12). The observed large decrease in the acetylcholinesterase activity of the photosensitized flies suggests that the damage of the nervous system gives an important contribution to the phototoxic action of porphyrins. Studies with C. capitata indicate that the photoinsecticidal action of porphyrins can be utilized to control the population of noxious insects also in open field conditions.     

PHOTOOXIDATION OF LANTHANIDE ION-LYSOZYME COMPLEXES. A NEW APPROACH TO THE EVALUATION OF INTRAMOLECULAR DISTANCES IN PROTEINS

Abstract— Rare-earth metal ions give 1:1 complexes with hen's egg-white lysozyme. Spectroscopic and enzymic activity measurements suggest that the binding site consists of the side chains of glutamic-35 and aspartic-52. The spatial conformation of these complexes is practically identical to that of native lysozyme, especially as concerns the environment of the tryptophyl side chains. Irradiation of La³⁺-lysozyme by visible light, in the presence of proflavine as photosensitizer, causes the oxidative modification of all the tryptophyl and methionyl residues at almost the same rate as in uncomplexed protein. On the other hand, when lanthanide ions with nonvanishing magnetic moments were coordinated with lysozyme, at least some tryptophans and methionines were protected from photooxidative attack. The distance of the protected residues from the coordination site increased with increasing magnetic moment of the bound metal ion, which suggests that inhibition of the photoprocess was mainly due to perturbation of the lifetime of the electronically excited intermediate species. On the basis of the atomic coordinates of lysozyme in the crystal state, it is thus possible to define a "quenching radius" for the various lanthanide ions; these radii could in turn be used to evaluate intramolecular distances in proteins of unknown tertiary structure, by identifying the amino acid residues that are protected or photooxidized upon irradiation of complexes between the given protein and several different lanthanide ions. Our studieson lysozyme allow us to define five radii of protection, ranging from 6·7 Å for Sm³⁺ to over 17 Å for Dy³⁺, Ho³⁺, Er³⁺ and Tb³⁺. Therefore, this technique opens the possibility of mapping appreciably large regions of a protein molecule.     

PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF MITOCHONDRIA BY LIPOSOME-BOUND PORPHYRINS

We have compared the photodynamic activities of hematoporphyrin (HP) and protoporphyrin (PP) on isolated rat liver mitochondria by measuring the decline of the respiratory control ratio (RCR) after irradiation at 365 nm. Before addition to the respiratory mcdium, the dyes were dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or incorporated into unilamellar liposomes of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), sometimes enriched with cholesterol (Chol) or cardiolipin (Card), which are naturally present in mitochondrial membranes. Chol and especially Card strongly increase the porphyrin uptake by mitochondria. In all experimental conditions, PP is taken up by mitochondria to a higher extent than HP. Nevertheless, under conditions giving the same amount of mitochondriabound dye, HP is a morc efficient photosensitizer than PP. As the efficiency of singlet oxygen production has been shown to be equivalent for the two porphyrins in monomeric state, the resulting photobiological effects are explained in terms of different localization of HP and PP in the mitochondrial membrancs. In particular, HP preferentially localizes in the protein-rich polar domains of the inner mitochondrial membrane, whereas PP dissolvcs in the lipid regions of the mcmbrancs.     

THE EFFECT OF MEDIUM POLARITY ON THE HEMATOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION OF l-TRYPTOPHAN

Abstract The 83 μM hematoporphyrin (HP)-sensitized photooxidation of 0.1 mM tryptophan in aqueous solution buffered at pH 7.4 or in binary mixtures of phosphate buffer and organic solvents of higher (formamide) or lower (N,N-dimethylformamide, methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran) polarity proceeds by a pure singlet oxygen (¹O₂) mechanism as suggested by azide quenching experiments, the rate-enhancing action of deuterated solvents, and the lack of any significant reaction between triplet HP and tryptophan. Both the first-order rate constant of the photoprocess and the photooxidation quantum yield (φ= 0.011 in phosphate buffer at pH 7.4) increase when the medium polarity is increased (e.g. φ= 0.024 in 90% formamide); this results mainly from the greater quantum yield of ¹O₂ generation and the longer lifetime of ¹O₂. The intrinsic reactivity of ¹O₂ with tryptophan is independent of formamide concentration. A moderate decrease in the medium polarity (e.g. in the range 0-30% methanol) enhances the efficiency of tryptophan photooxidation (φ= 0.014 in 30% methanol) as a result of the enhanced quantum yields of triplet HP and ¹O₂ formation. In contrast, the overall photooxidation rate is depressed at high concentrations of low-polarity organic solvents (e.g. φ= 0.0039 in 90% methanol) due to a 5.5-fold drop of the rate constant for the ¹O₂-tryptophan reaction which counteracts the enhancement of the lifetime and quantum yield of triplet HP and ¹O₂. The solvent composition also affects the equilibria between monomeric and multimeric forms of HP. However, under our experimental conditions, the aggregation state of HP appears to exert only a minor influence on the efficiency of tryptophan photooxidation.