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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-surgical treatment that has been approved for its human medical use in many cancers. PDT involves the interaction of a photosensitizer (PS) with light. The amino acid 5- aminolevulinic acid (ALA) can be used as a pro-PS, leading to the synthesis of Protoporphyrin IX. Hydrogen sulfide (H

Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an anticancer treatment that utilizes the interaction of light and a photosensitiser (PS), promoting tumour cell death mediated by generation of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro photoactivity of four meso-substituted porphyrins and a porphyrin coupled to a fullerene. Methods The cell line employed was the LM3 mammary adenocarcinoma, and the PS with the best photokilling activity was administered to mice bearing the LM3 subcutaneously implanted adenocarcinoma. The TEMCP4+ porphyrin and its analogue TEMCC4+ chlorine contain four identical carbazoyl substituents at the meso positions of the tetrapyrrolic macrocycle and have A4 symmetry. The TAPP derivative also has A4 symmetry, and it is substituted at the meso positions by aminopropoxy groups. The DAPP molecule has ABAB symmetry with aminopropoxy and the trifluoromethyl substituents in trans positions. The TCP-C604+ dyad is formed by a porphyrin unit covalently attached to the fullerene C60. Results The PSs are taken up by the cells with the following efficiency: TAPP> TEMCP4+ = TEMCC4+ > DAPP >TCP-C604+, and the amount of intracellular PS correlates fairly with the photodamage degree, but also the quantum yields of singlet oxygen influence the PDT outcome. TAPP, DAPP, TEMCC4+ and TEMCP4+ exhibit high photoactivity against LM3 mammary carcinoma cells, being TAPP the most active. After topical application of TAPP on the skin of mice bearing LM3 tumours, the molecule is localized mainly in the stratum corneum, and at a lower extent in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Systemic administration of TAPP produces a tumour: normal skin ratio of 31.4, and high accumulation in intestine and lung. Conclusion The results suggest a potential use of topical TAPP for the treatment of actinic keratosis and skin adnexal neoplasms. In addition, selectivity for tumour tissue after systemic administration highlights the selectivity of and potentiality of TAPP as a new PS.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective procedure for the treatment of lesions diseases based on the selectivity of a photosensitising compound with the ability to accumulate in the target cell. Atherosclerotic plaque is a suitable target for PDT because of the preferential accumulation of photosensitisers in atherosclerotic plaques. Dendrimers are hyperbranched polymers conjugated to drugs. The dendrimers of ALA hold ester bonds that inside the cells are cleaved and release ALA, yielding PpIX production. The dendrimer 6m-ALA was chosen to perform this study since in previous studies it induced the highest porphyrin macrophage: endothelial cell ratio (Rodriguez et al. in Photochem Photobiol Sci 14:1617–1627, 2015). We transformed Raw 264.7 macrophages to foam cells by exposure to oxidised LDLs, and we employed a co-culture model of HMEC-1 endothelial cells and foam cells to study the affinity of ALA dendrimers for the foam cells. In this work it was proposed an in vitro model of atheromatous plaque, the aim was to study the selectivity of an ALA dendrimer for the foam cells as compared to the endothelial cells in a co-culture system and the type of cell death triggered by the photodynamic treatment. The ALA dendrimer 6m-ALA showed selectivity PDT response for foam cells against endothelial cells. A light dose of 1 J/cm² eliminate foam cells, whereas less than 50% of HMEC-1 is killed, and apoptosis cell death is involved in this process, and no necrosis is present. We propose the use of ALA dendrimers as pro-photosensitisers to be employed in photoangioplasty to aid in the treatment of obstructive cardiovascular diseases, and these molecules can also be employed as a theranostic agent., Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata

ALA-mediated Photodynamic Therapy (ALA-PDT) is one of the most promising fields in Photodynamic therapy (PDT) research for cancer treatment. 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) is the prodrug of the photosensitiser Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). After ALA administration, cells generate PpIX through the haem biosynthetic pathway. Although the exact reasons for ALA/PpIX selectivity are unknown, it is believed that due to the special regulation of haem enzymes, PpIX is accumulated in the tumours. Both ALA and its derivative ALA Methyl ester, are mainly used in dermatology. Besides, ALA-PDT has been employed for palliative and even curative treatment of endoscopically accessible tumours. Lung, oesophagus, gastric and bladder carcinomas, and also oral premalignant lesions, gynaecological intraepithelial neoplasias and Barrett's oesophagus are the conditions mostly treated with ALA-PDT. However, due to the limited penetration of ALA and light, non-dermatologic uses of ALA-PDT have not moved beyond phase I clinical trials. On the other hand, ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence is successfully employed for the Photodynamic Diagnosis (PDD) or assistance in cytoreductive surgery (Fluorescence-guided Resection, FGR). ALA has been approved for the FGR of high-grade gliomas and ALA Hexyl ester, for fluorescence cystoscopy in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. ALA-FGR is currently applied in brain, bladder, lung, colon cancers, etc. and ALA-PDD for oral premalignancies, gynaecological intraepithelial lesions and peritoneal metastases, among others. Besides, PDT can be applied concomitantly in the same diagnostic procedure. This review aimed to analyse the state of the art of clinical uses of ALA in the areas of treatment and detection in the non-dermatologic oncology fields.

Staphylococcus aureus are multiresistant pathogens that causes superficial and systemic infections. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) is an alternative in the treatment of diseases caused by these bacteria. Aim: In this study the APDT response on growth, viability, formation of reactive oxygen species and adhesion of methicillin-sensitive strains of Staphylococcus aureus, strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and American-type culture collection (ATCC) of S. aureus were evaluated in vitro, after incubation with curcumin for 20 min, and irradiated with LED. Materials & methods: Bacterial growth was assessed by the number of colony-forming units, viability and adhesion were evaluated by confocal microscopy and ROS quantification was performed by fluorimetry. Results: Was observed increase in the production of ROS in APDT groups, besides a decrease in the 4 log growth and loss of the bacterial adhesion. Conclusion: APDT with Curcumin may be an interesting therapeutic alternative, due to its in vitro response, in the control multiresistant clinical S. aureus strains.

The seropositivity and risk factors for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs from a municipality of Cundinamarca, a central state of Colombia were studied. A total of 356 client-owned dogs from urban, peri-urban and rural areas of La Mesa municipality, (Cundinamarca, Colombia) were randomly selected. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture. Anti-T. cruzi antibodies were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Reactive ELISA sera were processed by indirect immunofluorescence to confirm the presence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Chi-square tests were conducted for statistical analysis. Serologic tests for T. cruzi infection showed a prevalence of 29.49% (105/356), the rural area show a highest T. cruzi infection pattern in comparison with the other zone locations. Two triatomine species were found through the study: Panstrongylus geniculatus (53.4%) and Rhodnius colombiensis (46.6%). The prevalence of positive vectors for parasite was of 52.1% (38/73). Additionally, a very close relation between triatomine bugs and dogs in the rural zone (1:3.1) was observed. These results are the first report of natural infection by T. cruzi in domestic dogs in La Mesa municipality. In conclusion, the presence of anti-T. cruzi antibodies in dogs in this area suggest vector transmission. There is a need for active surveillance programs throughout the La Mesa municipality and vector control strategies should also be implemented.

Fil: Pis Diez, Cristian Manuel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Quimica Organica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanalisis y Metodos Fisicos en Quimica Organica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanalisis y Metodos Fisicos en Quimica Organica; Argentina

Natural and synthetic phenazines are widely used in biomedical sciences. In dehydrogenase histochemistry, phenazine methosulfate (PMS) is applied as a redox reagent for coupling reduced coenzymes to the reduction of tetrazolium salts into colored formazans. PMS is also currently used for cytotoxicity and viability assays of cell cultures using sulfonated tetrazoliums. Under UV (340 nm) excitation, aqueous solutions of the cationic PMS show green fluorescence ({\lambda}em: 526 nm), whereas the reduced hydrophobic derivative (methyl-phenazine, MPH) shows blue fluorescence ({\lambda}em: 465 nm). Under UV (365 nm) excitation, cultured cells (LM2, IGROV-1, BGC-1, and 3T3-L1 adipocytes) treated with PMS (5 ug/mL, 30 min) showed cytoplasmic granules with bright blue fluorescence, which correspond to lipid droplets labeled by the lipophilic methyl-phenazine. After formaldehyde fixation blue-fluorescing droplets could be stained with oil red O. Interestingly, PMS-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes observed under UV excitation 24 h after labeling showed large lipid droplets with a weak green emission within a diffuse pale blue-fluorescing cytoplasm, whereas a strong green emission was observed in small lipid droplets. This fluorescence change from blue to green indicates that reoxidation of methyl-phenazine to PMS can occur. Regarding cell uptake and labeling mechanisms, QSAR models predict that the hydrophilic PMS is not significantly membrane-permeant, so most PMS reduction is expected to be extracellular and associated with a plasma membrane NAD(P)H reductase. Once formed, the lipophilic and blue-fluorescing methyl-phenazine enters live cells and mainly accumulates in lipid droplets. Overall, the results reported here indicate that PMS is an excellent fluorescent probe to investigate labeling and redox dynamics of lipid droplets in cultured cells., Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, publication year 2020

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment for superficial tumours involving the administration of a photosensitiser followed by irradiation. The potential of the natural anthraquinone parietin (PTN) in PDT is still relatively unexploited. In the present work, PTN isolated from the lichen Teoloschistes nodulifer (Nyl.) Hillman (Telochistaceae) was evaluated as a potential photosensitiser on tumour cells employing UVA-Vis and blue light. Blue light of 2 J/cm2 induced 50% death of K562 leukaemic cells treated 1 h with 30 μM PTN (Protocol a). Higher light doses (8 J/cm2) were needed to achieve the same percentage of cell death employing lower PTN concentrations (3 μM) and higher exposure times (24 h) (Protocol b). Cell cycle analysis after both protocols of PTN-PDT revealed a high percentage of sub-G1 cells. PTN was found to be taken up by K562 cells mainly by passive diffusion. Other tumour cells such as ovary cancer IGROV-1 and LM2 mammary carcinoma, as well as the normal keratinocytes HaCaT, were also photosensitised with PTN-PDT. We conclude that PTN is a promising photosensitiser for PDT of superficial malignancies and purging of leukaemic cells, when illuminated with blue light. Thus, this light wavelength is proposed to replace the Vis-UVA lamps generally employed for the photosensitisation of anthraquinones.

Producción Científica, Wildfire is a recurrent factor that shapes and influences Mediterranean ecosystems where mixed oak (Quercus) forests with a rockrose (Cistus) understory are broadly represented. These ecosystems are also associated with large and diverse fungal communities. These fungal communities play essential ecological roles for the survival of vascular plant, such as the mineral and water uptaking or resistance against pathogens carried out by mycorrhizal fungi, as the saprotrophic fungi are a key factor for the recycling of the dead matter. In addition, edible fungi, such as Boletus edulis, provide a source of income for the nearby rural population. Fuel reduction treatments are applied to reduce the risk of wildfire; however, their potential impact on fungal communities is unclear. Thus, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of different fuel reduction treatments on fungi associated with Quercus and Cistus. This aim is accompanied by the management-driven objective to obtain data from fuel reduction treatments that will enable managers to find solutions with a balanced approach to maintaining productive areas of edible mushroom production while reducing fire risks across the landscape. Sporocarps were sampled over a five-year period in stands dominated by mature or coppiced Quercus pyrenaica and accompanied by Cistus ladanifer understory. These stands had been subjected to different fuel reduction treatment levels involving moderate- or high-intensity thinning, for Q. pyrenaica, or clearing, for C. ladanifer. The goal was to determine sporocarp production, species richness, and taxonomic composition. Sporocarp production and fungal richness were drastically affected by the fuel reduction treatments but only when C. ladanifer is included in the treatment. Taxa composition was strongly correlated with the treatments applied to the rockrose understory. This was probably due to the large range of associated ectomycorrhizal fungi of C. ladanifer and their high capacity to recolonize an area after disturbances. Based on our results, we conclude that the implementation of moderate-/high-intensity fuel reduction treatments is compatible with the conservation of the fungal community present in these systems. In addition, the creation of a multi-stage mosaic of stands through mechanical management could enable fire prevention to be managed in an effective way while maintaining fungal diversity and sporocarp production, favoring the use of non-wood resources in rural areas and conserving a healthier forest ecosystem., Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (project PID2019-105188RB-I00)

Carrageenans are sulfated galactans found in certain red seaweeds with proven biological activities. In this work, we have prepared purified native and degraded κ-, ι-; and λ-carrageenans, including the disaccharides (carrabioses) and disaccharide-alditols (carrabiitols) from seaweed extracts as potential antitumor compounds and identified the active principle of the cytotoxic and potential antitumor properties of these compounds. Both κ and ι-carrageenan, as well as carrageenan oligosaccharides showed cytotoxic effect over LM2 tumor cells. Characterized disaccharides (carrabioses) and the reduced product carrabiitols, were also tested. Only carrabioses were cytotoxic, and among them, κ-carrabiose was the most effective, showing high cytotoxic properties, killing the cells through an apoptotic pathway. In addition, the cells surviving treatment with κ-carrabiose, showed a decreased metastatic ability in vitro, together with a decreased cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, thus suggesting possible antitumor potential. Overall, our results indicate that most cytotoxic compounds derived from carrageenans have lower molecular weights and sulfate content. Potential applications of the results emerging from the present work include the use of disaccharide units such as carrabioses coupled to antineoplasics in order to improve its cytotoxicity and antimetastatic properties, and the use of ι-carrageenan as adjuvant or carrier in anticancer treatments. Fil: Calvo, Gustavo Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Cosenza, Vanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono | Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina Fil: Saenz, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Navarro, Diego Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono | Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina Fil: Stortz, Carlos Arturo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono | Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono. Subsede del Centro de Investigaciones en Hidratos de Carbono; Argentina Fil: Céspedes, Mariela Anahí. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina

A series of novel 1-(N-indolyl)-1,3-butadienes, as (1 : 1) mixtures of the (E) and (Z) dienes, was prepared in one step by base-catalysed isomerization of N-alkylindoles with a terminal butyne chain. The reaction conditions are mild, and in all cases the yields were very high (>90%). The (E) and (Z) dienes were separable by preparative TLC and could be fully characterized. This isomerization proceeded readily in the case of a butynyl chain, but didn't take place with a pentynyl chain. A mechanism was proposed for this reaction, based on previous studies on the isomerization of alkynes in basic media, and a key intermediate that supports the proposed mechanism could be isolated and fully characterized. A theoretical study of the proposed mechanism was performed by computational methods and the results validated the proposal. The reactivity of the synthesized dienes was studied in Diels–Alder reactions with p-benzoquinone, to obtain a small library of new 5-(N-indolyl)-1,4-naphthoquinones.The lack of reactivity in the case of the (Z) isomers was explained by calculation of the rotational curves of the central bond of the (Z) and (E) dienes. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the new 5-(N-indolyl)-1,4-naphthoquinones was tested against a panel of three cell lines., Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Centro de Química Inorgánica

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-thermal technique for inducing tumor damage following administration of a light-activated photosensitizing drug (PS). In a previous work we found that PDT induces cytoskeleton changes in HB4a-Ras cells (human mammary breast carcinoma HB4a cells transfected with the RAS oncogene). In the present work we have studied the migratory and invasive features and the expression of proteins related to these processes on HB4a-Ras cells after three successive cycles of PDT using different PSs: 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), Verteporfin (Verte), m-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (m-THPC), and Merocyanine 540 (MC). A slight (1.25- to 2-fold) degree of resistance was acquired in cell populations subjected to the three successive PDT treatments. However, complete cell killing was achieved after a light dose increase. Regardless of the PS employed, all the PDT-treated populations had shorter stress fibres than the untreated control HB4a-Ras cells, and the number of dorsal stress fibres was decreased in the PDT-treated populations. E-Cadherin distribution, which was already aberrant in HB4a-Ras cells, became even more diffuse in the PDT-treated populations, though its expression was increased in some of them. The strong migratory and invasive ability of HB4a-Ras cells in vitro was impaired in all the PDT-treated populations, with a behavior that was similar to the parental non-tumoral HB4a cells. MMP-2 and -9 metalloproteinase activities were also impaired in the PDT-treated populations. The evidence presented herein suggests that the cells surviving PDT would be less metastatic than the initial population. These findings encourage the use of PDT in combination with other treatments such as intraoperative or post-surgery therapeutic procedures. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 464-477, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bacterial photodynamic inactivation (PDI) employing endogenous production of porphyrins from 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) – named ALA-PDI-, is a new promising tool to achieve bacteria control in non-spread infections. The technique combines the action of the porphyrins acting as photosensitisers with light, to produce reactive oxygen species to target the pathogen. To date, some clinical applications of ALA-PDI have been reported although variable responses ranging from total eradication to absence of photokilling were found. ALA-PDI conducted at suboptimal conditions may lead to misleading results and the complexity of haem synthesis in bacteria hinders the optimization of the treatment. The present work aimed to gain insight on the variables affecting ALA-PDI in Gram-positives and Gram-negatives bacteria growing on planktonic and biofilm cultures and to correlate the degree of the response with the amount and type of porphyrin synthesised. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli clinical isolates and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 strains were utilised, and the optimal conditions of concentration and time exposure of ALA, and light dose were set. In both Gram-positive species analysed, a peak of porphyrin synthesis was observed at 1–2 mM ALA in biofilm and planktonic cultures, which fairly correlated with the decrease in the number of CFU after PDI (5 to 7 logs) and porphyrin content was in the same order of magnitude. In addition, ALA-PDI was similarly effective for planktonic and biofilm S. aureus cultures, and more effective in S. epidermidis planktonic cultures at low light doses. Beyond a certain light dose, it was not possible to achieve further photosensitization. Similarly, a plateau of cell death was attained at a certain ALA incubation time. Accumulation of hydrophilic porphyrins at longer incubation periods was observed. The proportion of porphyrins changed as a function of ALA concentration and incubation time in the Gram-positive bacteria, though we did not find a clear correlation between the porphyrin type and PDI response. As a salient feature was the presence of isococroporphyrin isoforms in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria were quite refractory to the treatment: P. aeruginosa was slightly inactivated (4-logs reduction) at 40 mM ALA, whereas E. coli was not inactivated at all. These species accumulated high ALA quantities and the amount of porphyrins did not correlate with the degree of photoinactivation. Our microscopy studies show that porphyrins are not located in the envelopes of Gram-negative bacteria, reinforcing the hypothesis that endogenous porphyrins fail to attack these structures.

Sixteen derivatives, eight of which are new compounds, were prepared from cycloartenone (1) and cycloartanone (2), and the cytotoxic activity of 14 of these compounds, together with 1 and 2, was evaluated against a panel of four cell lines. Compound 1 was obtained from the epiphyte plant Tillandsia tenuifolia collected at Salta, Argentina. Due to chemoselectivity and regioselectivity problems observed in the reactions of compound 1, this substance was hydrogenated to compound 2. The attempted transformations were focused on ring A of the cited triterpenes with the aim to verify previous structure-activity relationships obtained from related compounds. The cytotoxicity results of the derivatives showed that only the diosphenol 13 displayed significant activity against all the tested cell lines. These results show that an oxidized side chain, for example an ether bridge between the side chain and ring D, is necessary for the cytotoxic activity of cycloartane derivatives. Fil: Zambrano, Elida Elisabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Uriburu Monasterio, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; Argentina Fil: Duran, Fernando Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina Fil: Palermo, Jorge Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality for tumours and other accessible lesions based on the combination of light and a photosensitizer (PS) accumulated in the target tissue. The main disadvantage of PDT is PS retention after treatment during long time periods that conduces to cutaneous damage. It is believed that singlet oxygen is responsible for that skin photosensitization. The aim of this work was to evaluate the photoprotective activity of the methanolic extract of the Argentinian plant Collaea argentina against PDT under several treatments and employing different PSs. C. argentina exhibited photoprotective activity against aminolevulinic acid- (ALA-) PDT in the LM2 murine adenocarcinoma cell line. The photoprotection was dependant on the extract concentration and the incubation time, being detectable from 40 μg/mL onwards and at least after 3 h exposure of the cells. C. argentina extract protects these mammalian tumor cells against PDT effects, and it interferes with the oxygen singlet production from PSs during PDT treatment. We propose that it will be a promising agent to protect cells against PDT-induced skin sensitivity. Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Saenz, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Vallecorsa, Pablo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) involves the combined use of light and aphotosensitizer, which, in the presence of oxygen, originates cytotoxic species capableof inactivating bacteria. Since the emergence of multi-resistant bacterial strains isbecoming an increasing public health concern, PDI becomes an attractive choice.The aim of this work was to study the differential susceptibility to Toluidine blue (TB)mediated PDI (TB-PDI) of S. aureus mutants (RN6390 and Newman backgrounds) fordifferent key regulators of virulence factors related to some extent to oxidative stress.Complete bacteria eradication of planktonic cultures of RN6390 S. aureusphotosensitized with 13 μM TB was obtained upon illumination with a low light dose of4.2 J/cm2 from a non-coherent light source. Similarly, complete cell death was achievedapplying 1.3 μM TB and 19 J/cm2 light dose, showing that higher light doses can lead toequal cell death employing low photosensitizer concentrations. Interestingly, RN6390 inplanktonic culture responded significantly better to TB-PDI than the Newman strain.3We showed that deficiencies in rsbU, mgrA (transcription factors related to stressresponse) or agr (quorum sensing system involved in copper resistance to oxidativestress) did not modify the response of planktonic S. aureus to PDI. On the other hand,the two component system sae impaired the response to TB-PDI through a mechanismnot related to the Eap adhesin.More severe conditions were needed to inactivate S. aureus biofilms (0.5 mM TB, 157J/cm2 laser light). In mutant sae biofilms, strain dependant differential susceptibilitiesare not noticed. Fil: Gándara, Lautaro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Dotto, Cristian Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; Argentina Fil: Buzzola, Fernanda Roxana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina

Over the past ten years, alternative methods for the rapid screening of PSs have been developed. In the present work, a study was undertaken to correlate the phototoxicity of plant extracts on either prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells, with the total oxidation status (TOS) as well as with their ability to produce 1O2. Results demonstrated that the extracts containing PSs that were active either on eukaryotic cells or bacteria increased their TOS after illumination, and that there was a certain degree of positive correlation between the extract phototoxic efficacy and TOS levels. The production of 1O2 by the illuminated extracts was indirectly measured by the use of the fluorescence of “singlet oxygen sensor green”, which is a method that has proved highly sensitive for such measurement. 1O2 was detectable only upon illumination of the most active extracts. In addition, the oxidation of tryptophan and was employed as a method capable of measuring ROS generated by both type I and II ROS reactions. However, it turned out to be not sensitive enough to detect the species generated by plant extracts. Results demonstrated that the TOS method, initially developed to measure the oxidant status in plasma, can be readily applied to plant extracts. Unlike the method used to detect 1O2, the method employed for the detection of TOS proved to be accurate, since all the extracts that displayed a high phototoxic activity on either prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells, presented high TOS levels after illumination. Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Saenz, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-thermal technique for inducing tumor damage following administration of a light-activated photosensitizing drug (PS). In a previous work we found that PDT induces cytoskeleton changes in HB4a-Ras cells (human mammary breast carcinoma HB4a cells transfected with the RAS oncogene). In the present work we have studied the migratory and invasive features and the expression of proteins related to these processes on HB4a-Ras cells after three successive cycles of PDT using different PSs: 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), Verteporfin (Verte), m-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (m-THPC), and Merocyanine 540 (MC). A slight (1.25- to 2-fold) degree of resistance was acquired in cell populations subjected to the three successive PDT treatments. However, complete cell killing was achieved after a light dose increase. Regardless of the PS employed, all the PDT-treated populations had shorter stress fibres than the untreated control HB4a-Ras cells, and the number of dorsal stress fibres was decreased in the PDT-treated populations. E-Cadherin distribution, which was already aberrant in HB4a-Ras cells, became even more diffuse in the PDT-treated populations, though its expression was increased in some of them. The strong migratory and invasive ability of HB4a-Ras cells in vitro was impaired in all the PDT-treated populations, with a behavior that was similar to the parental non-tumoral HB4a cells. MMP-2 and -9 metalloproteinase activities were also impaired in the PDT-treated populations. The evidence presented herein suggests that the cells surviving PDT would be less metastatic than the initial population. These findings encourage the use of PDT in combination with other treatments such as intraoperative or post-surgery therapeutic procedures. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 464-477, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

5-Aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is gaining increasing acceptance in medicine as an effective technique for the treatment of a variety of neoplastic lesions. Unfortunately, the efficacy of ALA-PDT is limited by the hydrophilic nature of the molecule, leading to poor penetration through malignant tissues. This fact prompted the development of more lipophilic ALA derivatives, such as alkyl esters, although this strategy has potential drawbacks, mainly associated with the instability of ALA in solution. In this paper we describe a more versatile methodology for obtaining ALA esters based on the three-component Passerini reaction, which involves mild conditions and a straightforward procedure, allowing efficient generation of chemically diverse libraries of ALA conjugates. The preliminary in vitro evaluation of the new designed compounds allowed us to find a new promising conjugate with enhanced photodynamic properties compared to ALA. Fil: Gola, Gabriel Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Saenz, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Calvo, Gustavo Hernán. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Cabrera, Gabriela Myriam. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Ramirez, Javier Alberto. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentina

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an anticancer treatment based on light-induced destruction of photosensitised malignant cells. It has been reported that PDT strongly affects cell–cell and cell-substrate adhesion through the reorganization of some cytoskeletal and adhesion proteins. The aim of the present work was to study the changes induced by PDT employing aminolevulinic acid (ALA), on the cytoskeleton actin network and E-cadherin expression. We employed the normal mammary HB4a cell line and its tumor counterpart transfected with the oncogene H-Ras, which has been shown to be resistant to PDT. Ras insertion induces per se disorganization of both F-actin and E-cadherin distribution. ALA-PDT induces on HB4a cells a dramatic disorganization of actin stress fibers, resembling normal Ras-transfected cells. After 48 h some features of disorganization remain present. In HB4a-Ras cells, F-actin exhibits signals of photodamage, but distribution is recovered 24 h after treatment. On the other hand, PDT did not impact on E-cadherin distribution, other than a transient disorganization, which was recovered at 24 h. Moreover, E-cadherin disorganization did not favoured cell–cell detachment after PDT of HB4a-Ras cells. Actin but not E-cadherin constitutes in this model an important target of PDT. The fact that some features of microfilament disorganization remain present in HB4a surviving cells but not in Ras-transfected cells, suggests that cytoskeletal structures such as F-actin may be involved in the mechanisms of resistance to PDT.

Biofilm-associated diseases account for 80% of all infections in humans. Due to the emergence of antibiotic resistances, alternative therapies such as Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) of microorganisms have emerged. Porphyrins with intrinsic positive charges have been proposed as successful photosensitizers (PSs) against microorganisms. We have recently designed the new synthetic porphyrin 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(3-N,N-dimethylammoniumpropoxy)phenyl]porphyrin (TAPP) containing four basic amine groups in the periphery of the tetrapyrrolic macrocycle, which can acquire positive charges at physiological pH, thus favouring the interaction with biomembranes. Illumination of planktonic cultures of Staphylococcus aureus at 180 J/cm2 in the presence of 2.5 μM TAPP induced complete bacteria eradication. For the TAPP-PDI treatment of S. aureus biofilms, higher light fluences and PS concentrations were needed. Employing 20 μM TAPP and 180 J/cm2, around 3-log CFU reduction were obtained. In order to determine the efficacy of TAPP-PDI on Gram-negative bacteria, we performed planktonic and biofilm assays employing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Much higher TAPP doses as compared to S. aureus were needed to achieve planktonic bacteria photosensitization (3-log CFU reduction at 20 μM TAPP and 180 J/cm2). On the other hand, high concentrations of TAPP were nontoxic to P. aeruginosa growing on biofilms, and employing 30 μM TAPP and 180 J/cm2 we obtained 3-log CFU reduction. The main conclusion of the present work is that TAPP is a promising and efficient PS capable of promoting photodynamic killing of both Gram-negative and -positive in planktonic bacteria, though more effectively in the latter. In addition, TAPP-PDI induces similar photoinactivation rates in both bacteria types growing on biofilms, with lower dark toxicity in the Gram-negative one., Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the administration of a photosensitizer (PS) followed by illumination with visible light, leading to generation of reactive oxygen species. The mechanisms of resistance to PDT ascribed to the PS may be shared with the general mechanisms of drug resistance, and are related to altered drug uptake and efflux rates or altered intracellular trafficking. As a second step, an increased inactivation of oxygen reactive species is also associated to PDT resistance via antioxidant detoxifying enzymes and activation of heat shock proteins. Induction of stress response genes also occurs after PDT, resulting in modulation of proliferation, cell detachment and inducing survival pathways among other multiple extracellular signalling events. In addition, an increased repair of induced damage to proteins, membranes and occasionally to DNA may happen. PDT-induced tissue hypoxia as a result of vascular damage and photochemical oxygen consumption may also contribute to the appearance of resistant cells. The structure of the PS is believed to be a key point in the development of resistance, being probably related to its particular subcellular localization. Although most of the features have already been described for chemoresistance, in many cases, no cross-resistance between PDT and chemotherapy has been reported. These findings are in line with the enhancement of PDT efficacy by combination with chemotherapy. The study of cross resistance in cells with developed resistance against a particular PS challenged against other PS is also highly complex and comprises different mechanisms. In this review we will classify the different features observed in PDT resistance, leading to a comparison with the mechanisms most commonly found in chemo resistant cells.

ALA administration has been used to induce the endogenous photosensitiser Protoporphyrin IX for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumours. However, the hydrophilic nature of ALA limits its ability to penetrate through skin restricting the use of ALA-PDT to superficial diseases. Lipophilic derivatives of ALA such as ALA Undecanoyl ester (Und-ALA) were designed to have better diffusing properties. However, Und-ALA, applied topically on the skin over the tumour, induced low porphyrin content. To improve Und-ALA efficacy we tested the efficacy of Und-ALA as porphyrin inducer, delivered in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol (PC-PG) or phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidic acid (PC-PA) liposomal formulations. Entrapment of Und-ALA into PC-PA or PC-PG liposomes resulted in a dramatic impairment of toxicity in the mammary tumour LM3 cells. However, liposomal Und-ALA induced lower intracellular porphyrin content compared to free ALA, although total porphyrins content (intracellular+media) from free Und-ALA resulted equal compared to liposomal Und-ALA, due to induction of porphyrins release induced by the latter. Topical administration of Und-ALA in PC-PG or PC-PA liposomes over the skin of LM3 subcutaneously injected mice, induced equal amount of tumour porphyrins as compared to free Und-ALA. The kinetics of porphyrins synthesis from Und-ALA is similar for free and liposomal formulations both in vivo and in vitro, showing that release of Und-ALA from liposomes is not gradual and suggesting that liposome membranes either fuses or binds to the cell membranes. To sum up, the incorporation of Und-ALA into liposomes of PC-PA or PC-PG composition does not improve the rate of porphyrin synthesis either in vitro or in vivo, due to a massive release of extracellular porphyrins and a poor cytoplasmatic release of the liposome content. The design of new liposome compositions either favouring endocytosis or coated with natural polymers to prevent Und-ALA interaction with cellular membrane are desired to overcome intracellular porphyrin release after long-chained ALA esters treatment.

The use of endogenous protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) after administration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) has led to many applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However the efficacy of ALA-PDT is sub-optimal for thicker tumours and improved ALA delivery and therapeutic response are required. We have investigated the conjugation of ALA to a second-generation dxcendrimer for enhancing porphyrin synthesis in vitro and in vivo in a murine tumour model using systemic i.p. administration. In vitro, the dendrimer was more efficient than ALA for porphyrin synthesis at low concentrations in good correlation with higher cellular ALA dendrimer accumulation. In vivo, the porphyrin kinetics from ALA exhibited an early peak between 3 and 4 h in most tissues, whereas the dendrimer induced sustained porphyrin production for over 24 h and basal values were not reached until 48 h after administration. Integrated porphyrin accumulation from the dendrimer and ALA, at equivalent molar ratios, was comparable showing that the majority of ALA residues were liberated from the dendrimer. The porphyrin kinetics appear to be governed by the rate of enzymatic cleavage of ALA from the dendrimer, which is consistent with in vitro results. ALA dendrimers may be useful for metronomic PDT, and multiple low-dose ALA-PDT treatments.

Intracellular porphyrin generation following administration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) has been widely used in photodynamic therapy. However, cellular uptake of 5-ALA is limited by its hydrophilicity, and improved means of delivery are therefore being sought. Highly branched polymeric drug carriers known as dendrimers present a promising new approach to drug delivery because they have a well-defined structure capable of incorporating a high drug payload. In this work, a dendrimer conjugate was investigated, which incorporated 18 aminolaevulinic acid residues attached via ester linkages to a multipodent aromatic core. The ability of the dendrimer to deliver and release 5-ALA intracellularly for metabolism to the photosensitizer, protoporphyrin IX, was studied in the transformed PAM 212 murine keratinocyte and A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines. Up to an optimum concentration of 0.1 mmol/L, the dendrimer was significantly more efficient compared with 5-ALA for porphyrin synthesis. The intracellular porphyrin fluorescence levels showed good correlation with cellular phototoxicity following light exposure, together with minimal dark toxicity. Cellular uptake of the dendrimer occurs through endocytic routes predominantly via a macropinocytosis pathway. In conclusion, macromolecular dendritic derivatives are capable of delivering 5-ALA efficiently to cells for sustained porphyrin synthesis. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(3):876–85]

It is known that Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) induces changes in the cytoskeleton, the cell shape, and the adhesion properties of tumour cells. In addition, these targets have also been demonstrated to be involved in the development of PDT resistance. The reversal of PDT resistance by manipulating the cell adhesion process to substrata has been out of reach. Even though the existence of cell adhesion-mediated PDT resistance has not been reported so far, it cannot be ruled out. In addition to its impact on the apoptotic response to photodamage, the cytoskeleton alterations are thought to be associated with the processes of metastasis and invasion after PDT. In this review, we will address the impact of photodamage on the microfilament and microtubule cytoskeleton components and its regulators on PDT-treated cells as well as on cell adhesion. We will also summarise the impact of PDT on the surviving and resistant cells and their metastatic potential. Possible strategies aimed at taking advantage of the changes induced by PDT on actin, tubulin and cell adhesion proteins by targeting these molecules will also be discussed. Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigacion Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Perotti, Christian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigacion Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. University of Calgary. Southern Alberta Research Institute; Canadá Fil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigacion Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigacion Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina

The use of endogenous protoporphyrin IX generated after administration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) has led to many applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the bioavailability of ALA is limited by its hydrophilic properties and limited cell uptake. A promising approach to optimize the efficacy of ALA-PDT is to deliver ALA in the form of prodrugs to mask its hydrophilic nature. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential of two ALA dipeptide derivatives, N-acetyl terminated leucinyl-ALA methyl ester (Ac-Leu-ALA-Me) and phenylalanyl-ALA methyl ester (Ac-Phe-ALA-Me), for their use in PDT of cancer, by investigating the generation of protoporphyrin IX in an oncogenic cell line (PAM212-Ras), and in a subcutaneous tumor model. In our in vitro studies, both derivatives were more effective than ALA in PDT treatment, at inducing the same protoporphyrin IX levels but at 50- to 100-fold lower concentrations, with the phenylalanyl derivative being the most effective. The efficient release of ALA from Ac-Phe-ALA-Me appears to be consistent with the reported substrate and inhibitor preferences of acylpeptide hydrolase. In vivo studies revealed that topical application of the peptide prodrug Ac-Phe-ALA-Me gave greater selectivity than with ALA itself, and induced tumor photodamage, whereas systemic administration improved ALA-induced porphyrin generation in terms of equivalent doses administered, without induction of toxic effects. Our data support the possibility of using particularly Ac-Phe-ALA-Me both for topical treatment of basal cell carcinomas and for systemic administration. Further chemical fine-tuning of this prodrug template should yield additional compounds for enhanced ALA-PDT with potential for translation to the clinic. Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Vallecorsa, Pablo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Giuntini, Francesca. University of Bath; Reino Unido Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Vanzuli, Silvia. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Juarranz, Ángeles. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Facultad de Ciencias; España Fil: MacRobert, Alexander J.. University College London; Estados Unidos Fil: Egglestone, Ian M.. University of Bath; Reino Unido Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina

Summary The use of endogenous Protoporphyrin IX generated through the heme biosynthetic pathway after administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) has led to many applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias (CIPYP), reported for the first time, in 1975, porphyrin synthesis from ALA in highly dividing plant tissues. Increased porphyrin synthesis in tumours as well as cell photosensitisation was reported soon after. Our group is also interested in studying the use of new synthetic lipophilic derivatives of ALA as well as ALA delivery in liposomes. We have elucidated the mechanism of ALA transport in mammalian and yeast cells. The interactions between ALA-PDT and nitric oxide were investigated in three murine adenocarcinoma cell lines. In the National University of Rio Cuarto, Cordoba, a group is devoted to the synthesis of new porphyrin-derived photosensitisers to study their effects on photoinactivation of bacterial and mammalian cells death by PDT. At the Centre of Electron Microscopy of the Cordoba National University, a prototype of a 630 nm noncoherent light source was designed and constructed. Cost of the light source and scarce knowledge of the benefits of PDT by physicians limit the spread of the treatment throughout the country.

The porphyrin precursor 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is being widely used in photodynamic therapy of cancer. Improvement in ALA delivery has been sought through the use of ALA derivatives, in particular the esterification of ALA with aliphatic alcohols, which in certain cases can improve cellular penetration and selectivity. ALA uptake systems appear to be distinctive for each cell type. The LM3 mammary adenocarcinoma cell line takes ALA up by BETA transporters. In this work, we investigated ALA derivative transport systems through the inhibition of radiolabelled ALA uptake in the LM3 cells. We also performed inhibition studies of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake. The more lipohilic ALA derivatives hexyl-ALA and undecanoyl-ALA inhibit ALA uptake, whereas methyl-ALA, R, S-ALA-2-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyranyl ester and the dendron aminomethane tris methyl 5-ALA does not inhibit ALA uptake. A similar pattern was found for GABA, except that the dendron inhibited GABA uptake. However, hexyl-ALA and undecanoyl-ALA are not taken up by BETA transporters, but by simple diffusion, although they still inhibit ALA uptake by binding to the cell membrane. These results show that different modifications to the ALA molecule lead to different uptake mechanisms. Whereas ALA is taken up by BETA transporters, none of the ALA derivatives shares the same mechanism. Knowledge of the mechanisms of ALA derivatives entry into the cells is essential to understand and improve ALA-mediated PDT and to the design of new ALA derivatives that may be taken up at a higher rate than ALA. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 147, 825–833. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706668

Purpose: Porphyrins synthesised from 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) have been successfully used for the photodiagnosis and photodynamic treatment of cancer. To find a more efficient pro-photosensitiser, we synthesised two ALA esters: R,S-ALA-2-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydropyranyl ester (THP-ALA) and ALA-Undecanoyl ester (Und-ALA). Methods: In mice bearing a subcutaneous mammary adenocarcinoma, we studied the distribution of the porphyrins formed from these esters in tissues after systemic administration, to establish if these esters are retained in any specific tissue, which could potentially be targeted for photodynamic treatment with ALA derivatives. We also investigated the topical use of these esters. Results: After systemic administration, tumour and skin overlying tumour porphyrin levels were lower from the ALA esters than from ALA. Other tissues such as liver, colon, kidney, skin and spleen also accumulated less porphyrins from the esters, showing that there is no specific retention of the esters in these tissues. However, the brain was the only organ that synthesised more porphyrins from THP-ALA than from ALA. The kinetics of porphyrin synthesis from ALA esters is comparable to those from ALA in almost all tissues, showing that esterases activities are not limiting the availability of the hydrolysed ALA. Both THP-ALA and Und-ALA, applied topically on the skin over the tumour, exhibited higher selectivity than ALA for the site of application, whereas the amount of tumour porphyrin was the same from ALA and THP-ALA but lower from Und-ALA. Conclusions: THP-ALA may be useful for the treatment of brain tumours after systemic administration, whereas THP-ALA and Und-ALA may be used more suitable for the treatment of superficial tumours due to their higher selectivity.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based PDT has been gaining increased attention in the last ten years, and become an approved treatment modality for some cancers and other diseases. Different approaches to enhance this therapeutic modality are in progress, including the development of several drug delivery systems and the use of more lipophilic ALA derivatives. This paper focuses on our experience in this field.

Photodynamic therapy is a treatment for malignant and certain non-malignant lesions that involves administration of a photosensitising drug. The use of 5-aminolaevulinic acid-induced porphyrins has become one of the most active fields of photodynamic therapy research. Since the efficacy of the treatment is somewhat limited by the hydrophilic nature of 5-aminolaevulinic acid, chemical modifications such as esterification with aliphatic alcohols have been made to induce higher porphyrin production. In an attempt to improve delivery of 5-aminolaevulinic acid to tissue, we have investigated the use of dendritic derivatives capable of bearing several drug molecules. The aim of this work was to evaluate in vivo and in vitro the efficacy of the first generation dendron, aminomethane tris–methyl 5-aminolaevulinic acid (containing three 5-aminolaevulinic acid residues) in terms of porphyrin synthesis. In LM3 cells, the dendron induced similar porphyrin levels compared to equimolar concentrations of 5-aminolaevulinic acid. Although the dendron is taken up with comparable efficiency to 5-aminolaevulinic acid, we found that there is only partial intracellular liberation of 5-aminolaevulinic acid residues. Both systemic and topical administration of the dendron to tumour-bearing mice induced higher porphyrin levels than the widely investigated hexyl ester derivative in most tissues studied, although it was not possible to surpass the levels induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid. In conclusion, aminomethane tris–methyl 5-aminolaevulinic acid is capable of being taken up by cells efficiently, and liberating the active residues, although in vivo it was not possible to improve upon the efficacy of 5-aminolevulinic acid. Studies of accessibility and regulation of the esterases are needed to improve the design of these dendritic derivatives.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) involves the combination of light and photosensitizer (PS). Therefore, it is possible for cells to develop resistance based on the doses of PS used or the light dose. The data compiled by several authors make it clear that the degree of cell resistance to PDT is highly dependent on the PS used; however, no cellular characteristics have yet been identified as predictors of PDT resistance. The mechanisms by which the treated tissue becomes resistant to the PS share some similarities to those found in general drug resistance and radioresistance, and they are mainly related to both the bioavailability of the PS and to the mechanisms of detoxification of the generated reactive oxygen species. Among the features related to PDT resistance are: the expression of p-glycoprotein and ABCG2 transporters, the abrogation of apoptosis and autophagy, the induction of antioxidant defences, the induction of HSPs changes in cytoskeleton and adhesion, the induction of cyclooxygenases, the production of nitric oxide and hypoxia; these are some but not all of the factors involved in the development of resistance. As a general rule, all the authors that reported resistance to PDT have attributed this phenomenon to several factors acting in concert. In this chapter, we will review some of the most important aspects related to PDT resistance.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) interactions with nitric oxide (NO) are not well understood. In this work, we attempted to elucidate whether NO cytotoxicity and PDT from aminolevulinic acid (ALA) have independent cell damage mechanisms. We employed the murine mammary adenocarcinoma cell line LM3 and its NO-resistant variant LM3-SNP obtained after successive exposures to sodium nitroprusside (SNP). No cross-resistance was found between NO cytotoxicity and ALA-PDT; LM3-SNP cells were not more resistant to ALA-PDT than the parental line, instead they were more sensitive. We also induced resistance to ALA-PDT in LM3-SNP cells after multiple cycles of photodynamic treatment. We isolated two clones, identified as Clon 1 and Clon 3, which were 9.2 and 12.5 times more resistant to ALA-PDT than the parental lines, showing that resistance to NO did not interfere in the development of PDT resistance. In addition, the sensitivity to NO decreased in Clon 1 and increased in Clon 3, but they did not show any modifications in NO production. All the cell lines have similar GSH content and GSH transferases activities. However, GSSG content is markedly lower in LM3-SNP, Clon 1, and Clon 3 compared to parental LM3 line and consequently GSH/GSSG ratios are also higher. Our results suggest that different degrees of NO resistance of tumours would not correlate with resistance to PDT.

In this work, we studied the in vitro interactions between aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) and nitric oxide (NO), as well as the interactions between ALA, porphyrins and some NO donors and precursors. We employed three murine adenocarcinoma cell lines: LM2, which does not produce NO; LM3, which produces NO, and LM3-SNP, a variant of LM3 resistant to NO producing the same amount of NO as the parental. We did not find cross-resistance between NO-induced cytotoxicity and ALA-PDT. In spite of the lower porphyrin synthesis, LM2 cells show the highest sensitivity to ALA-PDT. However, we hypothesised that this is not related to the lack of endogenous NO production, because modulation of NO levels did not modify the response to PDT in any of the cell lines. Two unexpected results were found: the enhancement of NO production from the donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced by ALA in both cells and medium, and the inhibition by ALA of NO production from arginine. We also found that SNP strongly protected the cells from ALA-PDT by impairing porphyrin biosynthesis as a consequence of an inhibition of the enzyme ALA dehydratase. We were not able to evaluate the action of NO derived from SNP because of the unexpected porphyrin impairment. On the other hand, impairment of NO from Arginine driven by ALA, although not modulating in vitro the ALA-PDT response, by increasing in vivo blood flow, may be contributing to the mechanism of tumour cures.

Delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is the precursor in the biosynthesis of porphyrins. The knowledge of both the regulation of ALA entrance and efflux from the cells and the control of porphyrin biosynthesis is essential to improve ALA-mediated photodynamic therapy. In this work, we studied the regulation of ALA uptake and efflux by endogenously accumulated ALA and/or porphyrins in murine mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Under our set of conditions, the haem synthesis inhibitor succinyl acetone completely prevented porphobilinogen and porphyrin synthesis from ALA, and led to an increase in the intracellular ALA pool. However, neither intracellular ALA nor porphyrin pools regulate ALA uptake or efflux during the first 15 min of the process. Based on temperature dependence data, ALA but not gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) efflux is mediated by a diffusion mechanism. Moreover, the addition of extracellular GABA not only did not influence the rate of ALA efflux but on the contrary it affected ALA uptake, showing the contribution of a saturable mechanism for the uptake, but not for the efflux of ALA from the cells.

The use of synthetic lipophilic molecules derived from 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is currently under investigation to enhance cellular ALA penetration. In this work we studied the effect of systemic administration to mice of the hexyl ester of ALA (He-ALA) on porphyrin tissue synthesis as compared to ALA. In most normal tissues as well as in tumour, He-ALA induced less porphyrin synthesis than ALA after its systemic administration either intravenous or intraperitoneal, although explant organ cultures exposed to either ALA or He-ALA revealed equally active esterases. The only tissue that accumulated higher porphyrin levels from He-ALA (seven times more than ALA) was the brain, and this correlated well with a rapid increase in ALA/He-ALA content in brain after administration of He-ALA. This may be ascribed to a differential permeability to lipophilic substances controlled by the blood–brain barrier, a feature which could be further exploited to treat brain tumours. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 87, 790–795. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600559 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK

The aim of this paper was to investigate a collection of plant extracts from Argentina as a source of new natural photosensitizers (PS) to be used in Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) of bacteria. A collection of plants were screened for phototoxicity upon the Gram-positive species Staphylococcus epidermidis. Three extracts turned out to be photoactive: Solanum verbascifolium flower, Tecoma stans flower and Cissus verticillata root. Upon exposure to a light dose of 55 J/cm2, they induced 4, 2 and 3 logs decrease in bacterial survival, respectively. Photochemical characterisation of S. verbascifolium extract was carried out. PDI reaction was dependent mainly on singlet oxygen and to a lesser extent, on hydroxyl radicals, through type II and I reactions. Photodegradation experiments revealed that the active principle of the extract was not particularly photolabile. It is noticeable that S. verbascifolium -PDI was more efficient under sunlight as compared to artificial light (total eradication vs. 4 logs decrease upon 120 min of sunlight). The balance between oxidant and antioxidant compounds is likely to be masking or unmasking potential PS of plant extracts, but employing the crude extract, the level of photoactivity of S. verbascifolium is similar to some artificial PS upon exposure to sunlight, demonstrating that natural resources can be employed in PDI of bacteria. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Gándara, Lautaro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Saenz, Daniel Alberto. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Vallecorsa, Pablo Daniel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Schickinger, S.. Institut für Angewandte Forschung; Alemania Fil: Rossetti, Maria Victoria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Buzzola, Fernanda Roxana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an anticancer treatment based on photosensitisation of malignant cells. The precursor of the photosensitiser Protoporphyrin IX, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), has been used for PDT of bladder cancer. Silybin is a flavonoid extracted from Silybum marianum, and it has been reported to increase the efficacy of several anticancer treatments. In the present work, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of the combination of ALA?PDT and silybin in the T24 and MB49 bladder cancer cell lines. MB49 cells were more sensitive to PDT damage, which was correlated with a higher Protoporphyrin IX production from ALA. Employing lethal light doses 50% (LD50) and 75% (LD75) and additional silybin treatment, there was a further increase of toxicity driven by PDT in both cell lines. Using the Chou?Talalay model for drug combination derived from the mass-action law principle, it was possible to identify the effect of the combination as synergic when using LD75, whilst the use of LD50 led to an additive effect on MB49 cells. On the other hand, the drug combination turned out to be nearly additive on T24 cells. Apoptotic cell death is involved both in silybin and PDT cytotoxicity in the MB49 line but there is no apparent correlation with the additive or synergic effect observed on cell viability. On the other hand, we found an enhancement of the PDT-driven impairment of cell migration on both cell lines as a consequence of silybin treatment. Overall, our results suggest that the combination of silybin and ALA-PDT would increase PDT outcome, leading to additive or synergistic effects and possibly impairing the occurrence of metastases. 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved Fil: Gándara, Lautaro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Sandes, E.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncologiâ­a "angel H. Roffo"; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Prack Mc Cormick, Bárbara Patricia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncologiâ­a "angel H. Roffo"; Argentina Fil: Rodriguez, L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Mamone, Leandro Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Batlle, Alcira Maria del C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Eijan, Ana Maria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncologiâ­a "angel H. Roffo"; Argentina Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Invest. Sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina

The use of more lipophilic derivatives of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is expected to have better diffusing properties, and after conversion into the parent ALA, to reach a higher protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) formation rate, thus improving the efficacy of topical photodynamic therapy (PDT). Here we have analysed the behaviour of 3 ALA derivatives (ALA methyl-ester, hexyl ester and a 2-sided derivative) regarding PPIX formation, efficiency in photosensitizing cells and mechanism of cellular death. The maximum amount of porphyrins synthesized from 0.6 mM ALA was 47 ± 8 ng/105 cells. The same amount was formed by a concentration 60-fold lower of hexyl-ALA and 2-fold higher of methyl-ALA. The 2-sided derivative failed to produce PPIX accumulation. Applying a 0.6 J cm-2 light dose, cell viability decreased to 50%. With the 1.5 J cm-2 light dose, less than 20% of the cells survive, and higher light doses produced nearly total cell killing. Comparing the PPIX production and the induced phototoxicity, the more the amount of porphyrins, the greater the cellular killing, and PPIX formed from either ALA or ALA-esters equally sensitize the cells to photoinactivation. ALA-PDT treated cells exhibited features of apoptosis, independently on the pro-photosensitizer employed. ALA-PDT can be improved with the use of ALA derivatives, reducing the amount of ALA necessary to induce efficient photosensitization. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign. Fil:Casas, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Fukuda, H. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Di Venosa, G. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Batlle, A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina.

Background The optimal vehicle to ensure adequate penetration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) for its use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of skin lesions has not been determined. Objectives We aimed to study the effects of ALA in various vehicle formulations [saline lotion with and without dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), cream, liposomes and vaseline] after topical application in a murine subcutaneous adenocarcinoma model. Methods The effect of DMSO on porphyrin synthesis and ALA penetration through the skin was studied by measuring the uptake of 14 C label from ALA, ALA and porphobilinogen accumulation, and some haem enzyme activities. The tissue distribution and kinetics of porphyrin synthesis after topical application of ALA entrapped in large multilamellar liposomes was also determined. Results ALA in saline lotion, alone or with 10% DMSO, proved to be the most efficient vehicle for tumour porphyrin accumulation (mean ± SD 1.75 ± 0.25 and 2.09 ± 0.39 μg g -1 . respectively), whereas cream and liposomes induced lower levels and identical porphyrin accumulation (0.60 μg g -1 ). Using ALA + DMSO saline lotion, a higher porphyrin accumulation was found in skin overlying the tumour tissue and in the first 2 mm of tumour, probably due to increased ALA penetration, or greater interconversion to porphyrins, or greater retention of ALA and/or porphyrins. Conclusions These findings reinforce the importance of the vehicle in topical ALA-based PDT, and explain the mechanism of action of DMSO in enhancing protoporphyrin IX biosynthesis in superficial lesions.

Samples of human and rat skin in short-term organ culture exposed to ALA or a range of hydrophobic derivatives were examined for their effect on the accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) measured using fluorescence spectroscopy. With the exception of carbobenzoyloxy-D-phenylalanyl-5-ALA-ethyl ester the data presented indicate that, in normal tissues, ALA derivatives generate protoporphyrin IX more slowly than ALA, suggesting that they are less rapidly taken up and/or converted to free ALA. However, the resultant depot effect may lead to the enhanced accumulation of porphyrin over long exposure periods, particularly in the case of ALA-methyl ester or ALA-hexyl ester, depending on the applied concentration and the exposed tissue. Addition of the iron chelator, CP94, greatly increased PpIX accumulation in human skin exposed to ALA, ALA-methyl ester and ALA-hexyl ester. The effect in rat skin was less marked. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaign

This paper reports on studies that evaluate the interaction between delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) and adriamycin (ADM) in an animal model system. Two groups of mice bearing a transplantable mammary adenocarcinoma received ADM i.p. in a single dose of 5 mg (low dose) and 30 mg (high dose) per kg body weight. Sixteen or 40 h after administration of the drug, mice were sacrificed, tumours, livers and hearts were removed and porphyrins, enzyme activities and malondialdehyde content were determined. Tumour explants of ADM-treated mice were incubated with ALA and irradiated with an He-Ne laser. Re-implantation of these in vitro PDT-treated explants into test animals showed that inhibition of tumour growth was significantly enhanced by combined treatment when the low dose of ADM was used. There were no significant changes in porphyrin content, ALA dehydratase and porphobilinogenase activities in the tissues analyzed after ADM treatment as compared with control values. ADM toxicity is thought to be related to semiquinone free radical formation with subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species such as peroxide and hydroxyl radical. These species are considered to initiate lipid peroxidation (LPO) and cause DNA damage. In the case of low-dose treatment with ADM a significant increase in the LPO product, malondialdehyde, was observed after PDT whereas with the high-dose regimen no changes were observed. In the case of explants of (non-irradiated) cardiac tissue malondialdehyde production was also found to be dependent on the dose and time of administration of adriamycin. In our in vivo/in vitro model system we have shown that pre-treatment with ADM increased the cytotoxicity of ALA-PDT at a dosage level of ADM which did not raise LPO levels in heart tissue. The mechanism of this effect has not been clearly elucidated but our data suggest that the observed enhancement of PDT may be attributed in part to the weakening of cellular defence mechanisms by the pre-treatment involving free radical generation by ADM.

1. The effectiveness of the photodynamic action of porphyrins, was studied by means of the tissue explant culture technique. A murine tumor tissue explant was incubated in a medium containing 0.6 mM of ALA for periods of 1 and 2 hr; total porphyrins synthesized under these conditions were of the same level as those found in our previous in vivo experiments. The explants were then irradiated for 30 min with He-Ne laser of 3.5 mW output power placed at a distance of 10 cm. Controls of non-irradiated tumor tissue slices incubated with and without ALA were performed. Immediately after irradiation, inocula of exactly 1 mm3 of the irradiated and non-irradiated tissue were subcutaneously injected under the right and left flanks of the same animal, respectively. The growth of the tumor was measured 15, 20 and 25 days after implantation. 2. Results obtained showed that the explants that were incubated for 1 hr with ALA and irradiated, reaching a concentration of 2.8 micrograms porphyrins/g tissue, produced a reduction of 50-70% of tumor size as compared with the non-irradiated controls incubated with ALA. Explants incubated for 2 hr, reaching a concentration of 4.6 micrograms porphyrins/g tissue, produced from 60% to complete lack of tumor growth. The effectiveness index (EI) of photoirradiation was calculated on the basis of the tumor growth in irradiated and non-irradiated tumors. EI was nearly 100% showing almost complete tumor cell destruction for tumor irradiated for 2 hr with 0.6 mM ALA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel cancer treatment utilising a photosensitiser, visible light and oxygen. PDT often leaves a significant number of surviving tumour cells. In a previous work, we isolated and studied two PDT resistant clones derived from the mammary adenocarcinoma LM3 line (Int. J. Oncol. 29 (2006) 397-405). The isolated Clon 4 and Clon 8 exhibited a more fibroblastic, dendritic pattern and were larger than the parentals. In the present work we studied the metastatic potential of the two clones in comparison with LM3. We found that 100% of LM3 invaded Matrigel, whereas only 19 ± 6% and 24 ± 7% of Clon 4 and Clon 8 cells invaded. In addition, 100% of LM3 cells migrated towards a chemotactic stimulus whereas 38 ± 8% and 73 ± 10% of Clones 4 and 8, respectively, were able to migrate. In vivo, 100% of the LM3 injected mice developed spontaneous lung metastasis, whereas none of the Clon 8 did, and only one of the mice injected with Clon 4 did. No differences were found in the proteolytic enzyme profiles among the cells. Anchorage-dependent adhesion was also impaired in vivo in the resistant clones, evidenced by the lower tumour take, latency time and growth rates, although both clones showed in vitro higher binding to collagen I without overexpression of β1 integrin. This is the first work where the metastatic potential of cells surviving to PDT has been studied. PDT strongly affects the invasive phenotype of these cells, probably related to a higher binding to collagen. These findings may be crucial for the outcome of ALA-PDT of metastatic tumours, although further studies are needed to extrapolate the results to the clinic employing another photosensitisers and cell types. Fil: Casas, Adriana Gabriela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Di Venosa, Gabriela Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Vanzulli, Silvia. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Perotti, Christian. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina Fil: Mamome, Leandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Rodriguez, Lorena Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina Fil: Simian, Marina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina Fil: Juarranz, Angeles. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; España Fil: Pontiggia, Osvaldo Alejandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Oncología "Ángel H. Roffo"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Hasan, Tayyaba. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unidos Fil: Batlle, Alcira María del C.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina