carbocyanines and 2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl-pyropheophorbide-a

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer is dependent on three primary components: photosensitizer (PS), light and oxygen. Because these components are interdependent and vary during the dynamic process of PDT, assessing PDT efficacy may not be trivial. Therefore, it has become necessary to develop pre-treatment planning, on-line monitoring and dosimetry strategies during PDT, which become more critical for two or more chromophore systems, for example, PS-CD (Photosensitizer-Cyanine dye) conjugates developed in our laboratory for fluorescence-imaging and PDT of cancer. In this study, we observed a significant impact of variable light dosimetry; (i) high light fluence and fluence rate (light dose: 135 J/cm², fluence rate: 75 mW/cm²) and (ii) low light fluence and fluence rate (128 J/cm² and 14 mW/cm² and 128 J/cm² and 7 mW/cm²) in photobleaching of the individual chromophores of PS-CD conjugates and their long-term tumor response. The fluorescence at the near-infrared (NIR) region of the PS-NIR fluorophore conjugate was assessed intermittently via fluorescence imaging. The loss of fluorescence, photobleaching, caused by singlet oxygen from the PS was mapped continuously during PDT. The tumor responses (BALB/c mice bearing Colon26 tumors) were assessed after PDT by measuring tumor sizes daily. Our results showed distinctive photobleaching kinetics rates between the PS and CD. Interestingly, compared to higher light fluence, the tumors exposed at low light fluence showed reduced photobleaching and enhanced long-term PDT efficacy. The presence of NIR fluorophore in PS-CD conjugates provides an opportunity of fluorescence imaging and monitoring the photobleaching rate of the CD moiety for large and deeply seated tumors and assessing PDT tumor response in real-time.

Topics: Animals; Carbocyanines; Chlorophyll; Colonic Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; Fluorescent Dyes; Glycoconjugates; Indoles; Infrared Rays; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Optical Imaging; Photobleaching; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Propionates; Radiometry; Singlet Oxygen; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

The photophysical, electrochemical and spectroscopic characteristics of a conjugate of 3-devinyl-3-(1'-hexyloxyethyl)pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) and a cyanine dye have been investigated both as a linked conjugate and as individual components. A photoexcitation of the HPPH moiety of the conjugate results in electron transfer from the singlet excited state of HPPH (1HPPH*) to the cyanine dye as well as that from the cyanine dye to 1HPPH* and is followed in both cases by facile back electron transfer to the ground state as indicated by time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption measurements. Intersystem crossing to the triplet excited state (3HPPH*) competes with the electron transfer and 3HPPH* is quenched by oxygen to produce singlet oxygen (1O2), leading to specific covalent cross-linking of the nonactivated signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT-3). In contrast to excitation of the HPPH moiety, photoexcitation of the cyanine dye unit results in a strong emission at 875 nm, which can be used for efficient tumor imaging. Compared to HPPH alone, the presence of the cyanine dye moiety in the conjugate produces a significantly higher uptake in tumors than in skin. Thus, the HPPH-cyanine dye conjugate can be used as a dual tumor imaging and photodynamic therapy agent.

Topics: Animals; Carbocyanines; Chlorophyll; Cross-Linking Reagents; Electrochemistry; Fluorescence; Glioma; Mice; Mice, Nude; Molecular Structure; Neoplasm Transplantation; Oxidation-Reduction; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Singlet Oxygen; STAT3 Transcription Factor