Polyethylenimine （PEI）-g-comb-poly（ethylene glycol）-transferrin（Ⅰ）： Tumor-targeted Vector for Gene Delivery In.vitro

The work described the synthesis and evaluation of PEI-g-comb-PEG-transferrin as a potential system for gene therapy in vitro. The MW of PEG was 10KDa, and PEI was 2KDa. Its structure was identified by NMR, FT-IR and TGA spectroscopy. MTT assay found that at concentration up to 4000 n mol/L of the polymer, cell viability was over 85%. The bio-character of polymer/DNA complex was characterized by agarose gel electrophoresis, ethidium bromide exclusion and zeta-potential assay. The polymer could retardate DNA at N/P ratio 3.0-3.5 （mol/mol）. The particle size of the polymer/DNA complex was less than 300 nm. Transfection efficiency of the complex was studied in COS7 and NT2 cell lines.     

Synthesis of porphyrin nitrogen mustards with potential anti-tumor activities in chemotheraphy and photodynamic therapy

2,7,12,18-Tetramethyl-13,17-di[3'-N,N'-di(2"-chloroethyl)aminopropyl]porphin and it's 3,8-di(1'-alkyloxyethyl)-analogous or porphyrin-nitrogen mustards were synthesized for the first time Their structures were determined by spectroscopics and elemental analyses.Most of the compounds possess both the chemotherapeutic and photodynamic effects on tumor and deserve further investigation.     

On the Chemistry of a Dibenzohypericin Derivative

Summary.  A hypericin derivative was synthesized in which instead of the methyl groups two benzene rings were condensed to the chromophoric system in order to extend its conjugation. This derivative showed lowered fluorescence and concomitantly enhanced sensitized production of active oxygen species as compared to hypericin. However, in contrast to intuition its long wavelength band remained unshifted in comparison to its parent compound hypericin. Geometry and absorption properties were also investigated by means of semiempirical calculations. Received July 27, 2001. Accepted August 9, 2001     

Syntheses and Properties of Two Heterocyclically Substituted Hypericin Derivatives: 10,11-Dibenzothiazolyl-10,11-didemethylhypericin and 10,11-Dibenzoxazolyl-10,11-didemethylhypericin

Summary. The syntheses of the two heterocyclically substituted title hypericin derivatives were achieved starting either from 6-benzothiazolyl-tri-O-methyl-6-demethylemodin or 6-benzoxazolyl-tri-O-methyl-6-demethylemodin. The use of microwave assisted synthesis for the preparation of these anthraquinone synthons and the chemical as well as photochemical properties of the corresponding unique hypericin derivatives, which might constitute new photodynamic therapy agents, are reported. The tautomeric and stereochemical aspects of these hypericin derivatives were investigated by means of semiempirical calculations (AM1).     

Electrochemical iodination of C-methyl derivatives of dodecahydro-7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate anion

By electrochemical iodination of potassium 7-methyl-7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate and potassium 7,8-dimethyl-7,8-dicarba-nido-undecaborate, their monoiodine derivatives (extracted as tetramethylammonium salts) are synthesized. Their structure is confirmed by NMR and IR spectra and also by elemental analysis data.     

The chemistry of the azanonaborane cluster RNH2---B8H11NHR

The preparation and properties of the R¹R²NH---B₈H₁₁NHR cluster are described. The cluster is stable to aqueous solutions and can be made water-soluble by the introduction of a few hydrophilic groups. This makes the cluster a good candidate as the boron moiety in compounds for boron neutron capture therapy. The chemistry of the cluster preparation, the stability of the cluster, and conditions for reactions of the organic moieties are reviewed. Pyridine derivatives of the cluster show electronic interaction between the cluster and the pyridine.     

Derivatives of the closo-dodecaborate anion and their application in medicine

The paper presents a comparative analysis of the possibilities and characteristic features of the application of various polyhedral boron compounds, viz., the closo-decaborate anion [B₁₀H₁₀]^2–, the closo-dodecaborate anion [B₁₂H₁₂]^2–, the carba-closo-dodecaborate anion [CB₁₁H₁₂]^–, carboranes C₂B₁₀H₁₂, and the bis(dicarbollide) complexes [M(C₂B₉H₁₁)₂]^– (M = Fe, Co, or Ni), in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for cancer. The requirements on compounds used in BNCT are formulated and the advantages of the application of the closo-dodecaborate anion are considered. The data on the synthesis of various derivatives of the closo-dodecaborate anion, which either already found use in BNCT or are most promising in this field, are summarized. The possibilities of the application of agents derived from the closo-dodecaborate anion in medical diagnostics are discussed.     

Singlet oxygen generation ability of squarylium cyanine dyes

The quantum yields for singlet oxygen generation of several squarylium cyanine dyes derived from benzothiazole, benzoselenazole and quinoline, displaying absorption within the so-called “phototherapeutic window” (600–1000 nm), were determined, envisioning their potential usefulness for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The determination was performed by a direct method measuring the luminescence decay of the dyes in the near infrared. Considering the absorption and the quantum yields displayed by some of the dyes, these seemed to be potential candidates as sensitizers for PDT.     

Ab initio study of exciton transfer dynamics from a core–shell semiconductor quantum dot to a porphyrin-sensitizer

The observed resonance energy transfer in nanoassemblies of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and pyridyl-substituted free-base porphyrin molecules [Zenkevich et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 109 (2005) 8679] is studied computationally by ab initio electronic structure and quantum dynamics approaches. The system harvests light in a broad energy range and can transfer the excitation from the dot through the porphyrin to oxygen, generating singlet oxygen for medical applications. The geometric structure, electronic energies, and transition dipole moments are derived by density functional theory and are utilized for calculating the Förster coupling between the excitons residing on the quantum dot and the porphyrin. The direction and rate of the irreversible exciton transfer is determined by the initial photoexcitation of the dot, the dot–porphyrin coupling and the interaction to the electronic subsystem with the vibrational environment. The simulated electronic structure and dynamics are in good agreement with the experimental data and provide real-time atomistic details of the energy transfer mechanism.     

The photosensitizing effect of the photoproduct of protoporphyrin IX

The photodynamic effect of a photoproduct of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was investigated in WiDr cells, a human adenocarcinoma cell line. The fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of PpIX and the photoproduct were measured. After 1, 3 or 5 min exposure of the ALA-incubated cells to 140 mW/cm² light at 635 nm, the photoproduct — the chlorin photoprotoporphyrin (Ppp), had an emission band around 670 nm. The Ppp excitation peak at 670 nm is well separated from the PpIX peak at 635 nm. The outcome of photodynamic therapy (PDT) was determined by measuring intracellular fluorescence intensity of propidium iodide (PI) 2 h following PDT and methylene blue (MB) staining 24 h following PDT. A significant increase in the fluorescence intensity of PI was noted when the ALA-loaded cells were exposed to 670 nm light after exposure to 635 nm, indicating enhanced cell membrane inactivation induced by the photodynamic action of the photoproduct. However, the fraction of the cells that survived following the same treatment as measured by MB staining was not significantly affected based on an analysis of variance. The fluorescence of PpIX decayed significantly during 635 nm light exposure. Exposure to light at 670 nm does not lead to any photodegradation of PpIX. The fluorescence of Ppp was bleached during 670 nm light exposure. Exposure of Ppp at 670 nm gives no PpIX back. Thus, the phototransformation of PpIX to Ppp is probably not a reversible process.