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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a less-invasive treatment for cancer through the administration of less-toxic porphyrins and visible-light irradiation. Photosensitized damage of biomacromolecules through singlet oxygen (O) generation induces cancer cell death. However, a large quantity of porphyrin photosensitizer is required, and the treatment effect is restricted under a hypoxic cellular condition. Here we report the phototoxic activity of P(V)porphyrins: dichloroP(V)tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin (CLP(V)TMPP), dimethoxyP(V)tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin (MEP(V)TMPP), and diethyleneglycoxyP(V)tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)porphyrin (EGP(V)TMPP). These P(V)porphyrins damaged the tryptophan residue of human serum albumin (HSA) under the irradiation of long-wavelength visible light (>630 nm). This protein photodamage was barely inhibited by sodium azide, a quencher of O. Fluorescence lifetimes of P(V)porphyrins with or without HSA and their redox potentials supported the electron-transfer-mediated oxidation of protein. The photocytotoxicity of these P(V)porphyrins to HeLa cells was also demonstrated. CLP(V)TMPP did not exhibit photocytotoxicity to HaCaT, a cultured human skin cell, and MEP(V)TMPP and EGP(V)TMPP did; however, cellular DNA damage was barely observed. In addition, a significant PDT effect of these P(V) porphyrins on a mouse tumor model comparable with the traditional photosensitizer was also demonstrated. These findings suggest the cancer selectivity of these P(V)porphyrins and lower carcinogenic risk to normal cells. Electron-transfer-mediated oxidation of biomacromolecules by P(V)porphyrins using long-wavelength visible light should be advantageous for PDT of hypoxic tumor.

5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-beta-d-glucopyranosylthio)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)porphyrin 2a and its Zn(II), Pd(II), and Pt(II) complexes 2b, 2c, and 2d were prepared in excellent yields by nucleophilic substitution of the corresponding free-base porphyrin and metalloporphyrins with acetyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-d-glucopyranoside. Deprotection of 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d by alkaline hydrolysis afforded the corresponding S-glucosylated porphyrin 3a and its metal complexes 3b, 3c, and 3d. The structures and purity of all new photosensitizers were confirmed by elemental analysis and (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR, UV-vis, and steady-state luminescence spectroscopy. The relative efficiency of singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) production increased in the order of free-base fluoroporphyrins (2a and 3a) < Zn(II) complexes (2b and 3b) < Pd(II) complexes (2c and 3c), which can be explained in terms of the heavy-atom effect, while the (1)O(2)-producing efficiency of Pt(II) complexes (2d and 3d) were exceptionally low. In vitro photocytotoxicity of these eight S-glucosylated photosensitizers was examined in HeLa cells. Although all protected photosensitizers 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d showed no photocytotoxicity, the photosensitizers 3a, 3b, and 3c exerted potent photocytotoxicity. These results clearly indicated that the sugar moieties of 3a, 3b, and 3c act as not only water-solubility-enhancing functionalities but also cellular-uptake-enhancing elements. Photocytotoxicity testing of 3a, 3b, and 3c in the presence of reactive oxygen species inhibitors suggested that (1)O(2) is the major mediator of cell death. Hence, the Zn(II) and Pd(II) complexes 3b and 3c are promising photosensitizers having cellular uptake-facilitating units (sugar moieties) and enhanced (1)O(2) generation due to the heavy-atom effect.

Introduction of a heavy atom into photosensitizers generally facilitates intersystem crossing and improves the quantum yield (Phi(Delta)) of singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), which is a key species in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, little information is available about the physiological importance of this heavy-atom effect. The aim of this study is to examine the heavy-atom effect in simple metallochlorins in vitro at the cellular level. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylide to 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato palladium(II) and platinum(II) afforded metallochlorins 4b and 4c in yields of 17.1 and 12.9%, respectively. The Phi(Delta) values increased in the order of 4a (0.28) < 4b (0.89) < 4c (0.92) in C(6)D(6). The photocytotoxicity of 4a, 4b, and 4c was evaluated in HeLa cells at a light dose of 16 J x cm(-2) with lambda > 500 nm and increased in the order of 4a < 4b < 4c at the concentration of 0.5 microM. The photocytotoxicity of 4b and 4c was significantly inhibited by addition of sodium azide, but not D-mannitol, suggesting that (1)O(2) is the major species causing cell death. Our results clearly indicate that 4b and 4c act as efficient (1)O(2) generators due to the heavy-atom effect in a cellular microenvironment as well as in nonphysiological media.

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