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Biomedical subjects

G Jori

Publications and source records attributed to G Jori.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effect of delivery system on the pharmacokinetic and phototherapeutic properties of bis(methyloxyethyleneoxy) silicon-phthalocyanine in tumor-bearing mice.

A Si(IV)-phthalocyanine bearing two methoxyethyleneglycol axial ligands bound to the central metal ion (SiPc) has been prepared by chemical synthesis and analyzed for its phototherapeutic activity after administration in a Cremophor or liposome formulation to C57B1/6 mice bearing a subcutaneously transplanted Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). The maximum drug accumulation in the tumor is found at 24 h after intraperitoneal injection, independent of the delivery system. However, the tumor concentration of SiPc in the Cremophor formulation is about two-fold higher, while the drug concentration in liver and skin shows similar trends with the two delivery systems. The drug accumulation and retention in the brain is much larger when using Cremophor emulsion. Photodynamic therapy (672 nm, 370 mW m-2, 360 J cm-2) at 24 h after the injection of Cremophor emulsion- or DPPC liposome-formulated SiPc causes a very efficient and similar response for the LLC (approximately 8 versus 22 mm mean tumor diameter for the control groups at 21 days after phototreatment). These very promising effects, obtained both at higher and lower tumor drug concentrations, clearly demonstrate the potential phototherapeutical activity of the newly synthesized SiPc.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

High efficiency of benzoporphyrin derivative in the photodynamic therapy of pigmented malignant melanoma.

Benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (verteporfin, BPD-MA) when intravenously injected (5.5 micromol kg(-1)) to C57/BL6 mice bearing a subcutaneously transplanted B1 melanoma gave a maximal accumulation in the tumour within 1-3 h with recoveries of 1.84-1.96 micromol kg(-1). Irradiation of BPD-MA-loaded melanoma with 690-nm light from a dye laser at 3 h and 9 h post injection induced tumour necrosis and delay of tumour growth of 28 and 14 days respectively. The response of the tumour to BPD-MA photosensitization was enhanced by pretreatment with 1064-nm light from a pulse-operated Nd:YAG laser, which caused a selective breakdown of melanosomes.

Animals↗

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.

Animals↗

Flow cytometric quantification of UV-induced cell death in a human squamous cell carcinoma-derived cell line: dose and kinetic studies.

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and photochemotherapy induces apoptotic cell death in epidermal cells. In this study annexin V binding and propidium iodide (PI) uptake have been measured by flow cytometry to evaluate UV-induced cell death in the human squamous cell carcinoma-derived cell line A 431. Physiological and therapeutical relevant doses of UVA, UVA1, UVB, narrow-band UVB (311 nm) and photochemotherapy using 100 ng/ml of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) with UVA or UVA1 (PUVA or PUVA1) have been applied. Doses ranged from 8 to 96 J/cm2 for UVA1 and UVA, from 8 to 128 mJ/cm2 for UVB, from 256 to 4096 mJ/cm2 for narrow-band UVB (311 nm) and from 1 to 16J/cm2 for photochemotherapy. Results show that the amount of annexin V binding, a measure of early apoptosis, as well as PI uptake, a parameter of ultimate cell death, are strictly correlated with the applied UV dose. Peak values of annexin V-positive cells are noted 12 h after UV exposure in all protocols and are followed by an increase of PI-uptaking cells with peak values at 24 h after UVA and UVA1, and 48 h after PUVA, PUVA1, UVB and narrow-band UVB. To compare the effect of different wavelengths and light sources, dose equivalents are calculated based on the induction of 50% cell death (as determined by PI uptake). The equivalents are 96 J/cm2 for UVA and UVA1, 16 J/cm2 for PUVA and PUVA1, 256 mJ/cm2 for UVB and 2048 mJ/cm2 for narrow-band UVB. Our results establish annexin V/PI double staining as an appropriate method for the quantification of UV-induced cell death. Moreover, they provide a basis for further investigations concerning mechanisms and modifications of UV-induced apoptosis.

Annexin A5↗

Photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy involves administration of a tumor-localizing photosensitizing agent, which may require metabolic synthesis (i.e., a prodrug), followed by activation of the agent by light of a specific wavelength. This therapy results in a sequence of photochemical and photobiologic processes that cause irreversible photodamage to tumor tissues. Results from preclinical and clinical studies conducted worldwide over a 25-year period have established photodynamic therapy as a useful treatment approach for some cancers. Since 1993, regulatory approval for photodynamic therapy involving use of a partially purified, commercially available hematoporphyrin derivative compound (Photofrin) in patients with early and advanced stage cancer of the lung, digestive tract, and genitourinary tract has been obtained in Canada, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States. We have attempted to conduct and present a comprehensive review of this rapidly expanding field. Mechanisms of subcellular and tumor localization of photosensitizing agents, as well as of molecular, cellular, and tumor responses associated with photodynamic therapy, are discussed. Technical issues regarding light dosimetry are also considered.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Relative contributions of apoptosis and random necrosis in tumour response to photodynamic therapy: effect of the chemical structure of Zn(II)-phthalocyanines.

Zn(II)-phthalocyanines (ZnPc) and its octapentyl (ZnOPPc) and octadecyl (ZnODPc) derivatives have been intravenously injected at a dose of 1.46 mumol/kg into female Balb/c mice bearing an intramuscularly transplanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma. Pharmacokinetic studies show that in all cases the maximal concentration of phthalocyanine in the tumour is reached at 24 h post-injection: the efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting slightly increase upon increasing the length of the alkyl substituents. Irradiation of the neoplastic lesion (620-700 nm light, 180 MW/cm2, 300 J/cm2) 24 h after photosensitizer administration induces a significant delay of tumour growth, which was largest (approximately 11 days) for ZnPc and smallest (approximately 3.5 days) for ZnODPc. Electron microscopy investigations of irradiated tumour specimens show that ZnPc causes an early direct damage of malignant cells, largely via processes leading to random necrotic pathways, although a limited contribution of apoptotic pathways is detected. The importance of this increased upon using ZnOPPc and especially ZnODPc as the photosensitizers, possibly due to a different partitioning in different compartments of cell membranes.

Animals↗

Photosensitization of cells with different metastatic potentials by liposome-delivered Zn(II)-phthalocyanine.

The phototoxicity of liposome-incorporated Zn(II)-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and its water-soluble tetrasulphonated derivative (ZnPcTS) was studied in the tumorigenic but nonmetastatic (RE4) and the highly metastatic (4R) transformed rat embryo fibroblasts. Upon irradiation with 585-605 nm light in the presence of ZnPc, the cell survival drastically decreased, while it was unaffected by ZnPcTS. Enzymatic assays showed that ZnPc induced about a 60% decrease in the activity of the mitochondrial enzymes NADH and succinate dehydrogenase after 3 min of irradiation, while no significant reduction in the activity of lactate dehydrogenase and lysosomal N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase was observed. The transport of thymidine, deoxyglucose and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid through the plasma membrane was strongly inhibited after irradiation. Similarly, the intracellular ATP content was significantly reduced. The reduction of DNA biosynthesis showed a time dependence quite similar to the photo-induced decrease in cell survival. No repair of cellular functions affected by ZnPc was observed in the 2 cell lines. These results indicate that, under our experimental conditions, hydrophobic ZnPc exerts its cytotoxic activity mainly by impairing those functions localized in the plasma membrane of the cells.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Photoinactivation of amelanotic and melanotic melanoma cells sensitized by axially substituted Si-naphthalocyanines.

The photosensitizing activity of the new far-red absorbing naphthalocyanine SiNc [OSi (n-C10H21)3] [OSi(CH3)2(CH2)3N(CH3)2], (DAP-SiNc), and of its analogue SiNc [OSi(i-C4H9)2(n-C18H37)]2, (IsoBO-SiNc), was studied with two cell variants of B16 melanoma, the amelanotic clone B78H1 and the highly pigmented B16F1 cells. Upon excitation with a 776 nm diode laser, DAP-SiNc appeared to be a markedly more efficient photosensitizer than isoBO-SiNc. The higher photoefficiency of DAP-SiNc was likely to reflect its accumulation in significantly larger amounts by both cell types, as well as a much smaller tendency to undergo aggregation when bound to the cells. In any case, melanotic cells were less sensitive to the photoinactivating action of DAP-SiNc: the protective action of melanin was a consequence of an optical filtering of the 776 nm light and an appreciable shortening of the DAP-SiNc triplet lifetime (40 microseconds for the amelanotic vs. 17 microseconds for the melanotic cells). Functional and morphological studies on irradiated cells showed that cell death due to DAP-SiNc photosensitization was mainly correlated with the modification of targets located in the lysosomes and the cytoplasmic membrane.

Animals↗

Porphyrins and related compounds as photoactivatable insecticides. I. Phototoxic activity of hematoporphyrin toward Ceratitis capitata and Bactrocera oleae.

The photodynamic sensitizer hematoporphyrin (HP) IX was efficiently accumulated by Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) and Bactrocera oleae (olive fly) when the insects were fed with a sugar/protein bait containing micromolar amounts of porphyrin. Hematoporphyrin appeared to be mainly accumulated in the midgut, Malpighian tubes, adipose tissue and cuticle and was gradually cleared from the organism in a 24-48 h time interval. Exposure of the HP-fed flies to light mimicking the solar spectrum caused a decrease in the survival whose extent was modulated by the HP concentration in the bait, the irradiation fluence rate and the total light dose. For 8 mumol/mL HP in the bait 100% mortality during 1 h exposure to light was obtained using a fluence rate of 1220 microE s-1 m-2 for C. capitata and 2080 microE s-1 m-2 for B. oleae. The latter fly was somewhat less photosensitive than C. capitata possibly owing to the smaller amount of ingested HP and/or darker pigmentation. Studies are in progress in order to extend these investigations from the laboratory to the field scale.

Animals↗

Treatment of malignant melanoma by high-peak-power 1064 nm irradiation followed by photodynamic therapy.

Irradiation of B16 pigmented melanoma subcutaneously transplanted in C57 mice with a single 650 mJ pulse (10 ns) of 1064 nm light from a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser caused instantaneous bleaching of the pigmented tissue. Visual and histological examination of the resulting gray-colored tumor revealed the breakdown of melanosomes with no detectable alteration of the normal and tumor-overlying skin. Histological examination of the irradiated tumor showed some degree of vascular damage; the depth of the photodamage was not affected by the successive delivery of three consecutive light pulses. The bleached tumor grew at a modestly slower rate but the high-peak-power (HPP) laser treatment did not affect the tumor concentration of a photodynamic sensitizer Si(i.v.)-naphthalocyanine (isoBO-SiNc) intravenously injected 24 h before Nd:YAG irradiation. Treatment of the B16 pigmented melanoma by photodynamic therapy (PDT: 1 mg/kg isoBO-SiNc, 300 mW/cm2, 520 J/cm2) from a 774 nm diode laser immediately after the 1064 nm irradiation resulted in a 16 day delay of tumor regrowth, which was markedly longer than the delay (ca 6 days) obtained after PDT under identical conditions without the preirradiation. Thus, pretreatment of pigmented tumors with HPP 1064 nm light appears to enhance their susceptibility to conventional PDT. The tumor response was further enhanced by repeating the combined HPP/PDT treatment at an interval of 10 days (regrowth delay: 27 days), as well as by applying hyperthermia immediately after HPP/PDT (regrowth delay: ca 34 days).

Animals↗

Effect of chemical structure and hydrophobicity on the pharmacokinetic properties of porphycenes in tumour-bearing mice.

The efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting by several tetra-n-propylporphycene (TPPn) and tetrakis(methoxyethyl)porphycene (TMPn) derivatives have been studied by administering 3.76 micromol/kg of aqueous or liposomal porphycene formulations to BALB/c mice bearing an i.m. implanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma. These 2 parameters have been studied as a function of the type of substituents linked to the 9-position of the macrocycle by amide, ester or ether functional groups. The pharmacokinetic properties appear to be controlled mainly by the degree of porphycene hydrophobicity, as evaluated by measuring their retention times in a C 18 column for HPLC. Thus, the post-injection time (T50) at which the porphycene concentration in the plasma decreases to 50% of the initial value ranged from a few minutes for the less hydrophobic to several hours for the more hydrophobic porphycenes. An increase in hydrophobicity also was accompanied by an enhanced efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting. The less hydrophobic porphycenes showed a maximum tumour uptake of 0.5-2 nmol/g of tissue at 10-20 min after administration with a tumour/peri-tumoural concentration ratio around 2-3, while those with higher hydrophobicity reached tumour concentrations of 7-8 nmol/g at 24-48 hr after administration with concentration ratios higher than 20.

Animals↗

Effects of low power laser-irradiation on differential blood count and body temperature in endotoxin-preimmunized rabbits.

Low power laser irradiation has been shown to have various immune-modulatory effects under in vitro conditions but little is known about such effects in animal models. Escherichia coli endotoxin-preimmunized rabbits were used to determine the influence of transcutaneously applied low power laser light on differential blood count and rectal temperature. After three initial immunizations animals were either boostered with 5 ng/kg of endotoxin or injected with pyrogen-free saline and subsequently underwent irradiation using two different wavelengths of red laser light and sham irradiation, respectively. Differential blood count of laser-treated animals was characterized by significantly higher lymphocyte values and lower neutrophil values at twenty hours (boostered rabbits) and twenty-three hours (non-boostered rabbits) after irradiation. Differential blood cell counts returned to baseline values within 23 hours in the boostered animals, whereas in the non-boostered rabbits lymphocytes showed a trend to further increase. Recording of rectal temperature revealed a further rise after laser application, changes being of greater magnitude and longer duration in the non-boostered animals. These results seem to indicate that a single low power laser irradiation can modulate immune-responses depending on the immunological status of the organism.

Animals↗

Fluence rate effects on photodynamic therapy of B16 pigmented melanoma.

In vivo experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of fluence rate on the efficiency of Zn(II)-2,3 naphthalocyanine (ZnNc) photosensitization of B16 pigmented melanoma subcutaneously transplanted in C57B1/6 mice. The tumour was irradiated with 774 nm light at 24 h after an injection of liposome--which incorporated ZnNc (0.5 mg kg-1 b.w.). A total light dose of 360 J cm-2 was delivered at fluence rates of 260, 320, 380, 440 and 500 mW cm-2. Separate groups of mice utilized to monitor tumour temperature changes during irradiation without or after anaesthesia. Tumour response was determined by measuring the mean tumour diameter of the treated towards the untreated animals for a period of 21 days following PDT, as well as the percentage of cured animals. The most promising result (40% complete tumour response) was obtained with anaesthetized mice following 380 mW cm-2. Higher dose rates (440 and 500 mW cm-2) led to less promising results for both anaesthetized and non anaesthetized mice. These results outline the potential of PDT with longer wavelengths for the treatment of highly pigmented tumour tissues. The optimal fluence rate for tumour treatment should be chosen in order to avoid inflammatory effects (tissue swelling) and oxygen suppression with sublethal injury to the tumour cells.

Animals↗

Tumour-localizing and tumour-photosensitizing properties of zinc(II)-octapentyl-phthalocyanine.

Zn(II)-octapentyl-phthalocyanine (ZnOPPc), incorporated into a Cremophor oil emulsion, was found to be a highly selective tumour-targeting agent (50-fold larger concentration in the tumour than in the peritumoral tissue) when injected at a dose of 1.46 mumol (kg body weight)-1 in Balb/c mice bearing an intramuscularly transplanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma. The pharmacokinetic properties of this phthalocyanine were closely similar to those found for the analogous octadecyl derivative, whereas the unsubstituted Zn(II)-phthalocyanine showed a lower efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting than the octaalkyl-substituted phthalocyanines. Irradiation of the ZnOPPc-loaded tumour with 620-700 nm light 24 h after injection caused a significant delay of tumour growth with a gradual shrinkage of the neoplastic mass; the damage involved important contributions from both random necrosis and apoptosis of malignant cells.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetic and phototherapeutic properties of axially substituted Si(IV)-tetradibenzobarreleno-octabutoxyphthalocyanines.

Three Si(IV)-tetradibenzobarreleno-octabutoxyphthalocyanines (TDiBOPcs) bearing different axial ligands on the metal ion were studied for their tumour-localizing and-photosensitizing properties after i.v. injection via a Cremophor emulsion (0.35 mumol kg-1 b.w.) to Balb/c mice bearing an intramuscularly implanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma. In all cases, the maximum tumour accumulation of the photosensitizer (0.8-1.9 nmol g-1 of tissue) was found at 24 h after injection. The efficiency and selectivity of tumour targeting appeared to be dependent on the nature of the axial ligands; optimal values of these parameters were obtained in the case of the bis(trihexyl-siloxy)-substituted Si(IV)-TDiBOPc, which gave a 7-9 tumour/muscle ratio of phthalocyanine concentration at 24-48 h after injection. The extent of tumour response to PDT treatment was correlated with the concentration of the photosensitizer in the tumour tissue: upon 740 nm irradiation (180 mW cm-2, 200 J cm-2) at 48 h after injection of 0.35 mumol kg-1 of Si(IV)-TDiBOPc-C6H13, the tumour growth exhibited a delay of about 7 days.

Animals↗

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 microgram g-1) is significantly larger than that in the B16 pigmented melanoma (0.15 microgram g-1). This results 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.

Animals↗

Laser-induced fluorescence studies of the biodistribution of carotenoporphyrins in mice.

The biodistribution of two recently developed tumour markers, trimethylated (CP(Me)3) and trimethoxylated (CP(OMe)3) carotenoporphyrin, was investigated by means of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) after i.v. injection into 38 tumour-bearing (MS-2 fibrosarcoma) female Balb/c mice. At 3, 24, 48 or 96 h after administration, the carotenoporphyrin fluorescence was measured in tumoral and peritumoral tissue, as well as in the abdominal, thoracic and cranial cavities. The fluorescence was induced by a nitrogen laser-pumped dye laser, emitting light at 425 nm, and analysed by a polychromator equipped with an image-intensified CCD camera. The fluorescence was evaluated at 490, 655 and 720 nm: the second and third wavelengths represent the carotenoporphyrin (CP)-related peaks, whereas the first one is close to the peak of the tissue autofluorescence. The tumour and the liver were the two tissue types showing the strongest carotenoporphyrin-related fluorescence, whereas the cerebral cortex and muscle consistently exhibited weak substance-related fluorescence. In most tissue types, the fluorescence intensities decreased over time. A few exceptions were observed, notably the liver, in which the intensity remained remarkably constant over the time period investigated.

Animals↗

Meso-tetraphenylporphyrin dimer derivative as a potential photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy.

Studies on the synthesis, preliminary in vivo biological activity, singlet oxygen and fluorescence yields of a dimeric porphyrin (D1) are described. The pharmacokinetic behavior and photodynamic properties of the dimer D1 were examined in Balb/c mice bearing an MS-2 fibrosarcoma. Compound D1 shows a high selectivity for tumor localization (tumor/peritumoral tissue ratios of dye concentration ranging between ca 100 and 140 at 24 h after drug administration of 5.0-1.0 mg kg-1 into DL-alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes). The phototherapeutic efficiency of dimer D1 was evaluated by following the growth curves of fibrosarcoma irradiated with red light (600-700 nm) with a total dose of 400 J cm-2, at 24 h after intravenous injection. Photodynamic therapy-treated tumors showed a significant delay in growth as compared to untreated control mice. The results obtained suggest that the porphyrin dimer D1 may be a promising candidate for further use in PDT experiments.

Animals↗