Porphyrin photosensitizers tend to localize in mitochondria. The depolarization of mitochondrial membrane is one of the early stages of apoptosis and Laser Scanning Fluorescence Microscopy allows to determine changes in transmembrane mitochondrial potential under influence of PDT depending on the kind of photosensitizer (PP(Arg)(2), Hp(Arg)(2)), the energy dose (5, 10, 30 and 50 J/cm(2)) and time periods (24 and 48 hours after irradiation) in the LNCaP (lymphonodal metastasis of prostate carcinoma, the androgen dependent cell line). Cyototoxicity induced by PP(Arg)(2)- and Hp(Arg)(2)-based PDT depending on energy dose and time after irradiation in prostate carcinoma is determined with MTT. Generally, it was shown that lower energy doses induce greater changes in transmembrane mitochondrial potential. Hp(Arg)(2)-based PDT was more effective causing greater mitochondrial membrane depolarization and cell viability decrease in comparison to PP(Arg)(2)-mediated PDT (in the case of maximal nontoxic photosensitizer doses used).
Isothioureas are a class of amphiphilic compounds carrying a highly basic isothiourea group of pKa ranging between 10 and 11. Hence, they exist in protonated (cation) form at physiological pH, a characteristic is of key importance for their pharmacological activity. Recently, we have found that a number of S-pentabromobenzylisothiourea derivatives show substantial cytotoxicity toward a variety of human glioblastoma, leukemia, and adenocarcinoma cell lines. Whereas there is a growing body of data on aliphatic and alkylaromatic isothioureas, little attention was given to this day to heterocyclic isotiourea derivatives. Here we report on the synthesis and pharmacological in vitro properties of 10 novel S-(benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)- and S-(5,6-dichlorobenzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)isothiourea derivatives. The compounds were obtained by the condensation of the respective 2-chloromethyl benzimidazoles with various substituted N(N')-thioureas. Besides the essential physicochemical characteristics (H-NMR, UV, elemental analysis) of the new compounds, their log P values, which are of key importance for in vivo drug distribution and interactions, were determined. Pharmacological (anticancer) activity of the compounds was evaluated based on their ability to induce apoptosis in exponentially growing cultures of the human acute myelogenous leukemia cell line KG-1; the apoptosis was assessed with a variety of flow cytometric methods. Of the novel compounds tested, the most potent apoptosis inducer in KG-1 cells was N-methyl-S- (5,6-dichloro-1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)isothiouronium chloride (ClBMMe).
Simple methods for detection and isolation of protein-porphyrin complexes were elaborated in our laboratory. They are based on the separation of protein-porphyrin complexes in native polyacrylamide gel and measurement of their fluorescence, with the use of two detection systems: the commercially available Gel Doc(TM) 2000 system, and a system specially designed for the purpose of these investigations, concerning protein-porphyrin interactions. The fluorescent complexes can be electro-transferred from the gel onto PVDF membrane, eluted and analyzed in order to identify the protein interacting with porphyrins.
5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is used as a drug in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) and
photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) of cancer. Combined with irradiation at the appropriate wavelength,
it is used as a photosensitizer precursor to identify/kill tumour cells. In cells, 5-aminolevulinic acid is
converted to protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), which is the precursor of hemin. Internal application of 5-ALA
induces the overproduction of the endogenous photosensitizer, PpIX, which can subsequently be activated
by light at the appropriate wavelength. 5-ALA can be applied internally to trans-mutated areas or be
injected directly into them. Chemical derivatives of 5ALA have the potential to improve bioavailability,
enhance stability and lead to better therapeutic outcomes for treated patients. 5-ALA is currently the most
commonly used drug in the photodynamic therapy and diagnosis (PDT/PDD) of cancers.
Keywords: photodynamic therapy, photodynamic diagnosis, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5- ALA), esters
of 5-aminolevulinic acid, cancer.
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