chlorophyll-a and Brain-Neoplasms

This article presents the construction of a multimodality platform that can be used for efficient destruction of brain tumor by a combination of photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy. For in vivo studies, U87 patient-derived xenograft tumors were implanted subcutaneously in SCID mice. For the first time, it has been shown that the cell-death mechanism by both treatment modalities follows two different pathways. For example, exposing the U87 cells after 24 h incubation with HPPH [3-(1'-hexyloxy)ethyl-3-devinyl-pyropheophorbide-a) by ultrasound participate in an electron-transfer process with the surrounding biological substrates to form radicals and radical ions (Type I reaction); whereas in photodynamic therapy, the tumor destruction is mainly caused by highly reactive singlet oxygen (Type II reaction). The combination of photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy both in vitro and in vivo have shown an improved cell kill/tumor response, that could be attributed to an additive and/or synergetic effect(s). Our results also indicate that the delivery of the HPPH to tumors can further be enhanced by using cationic polyacrylamide nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle. Exposing the nano-formulation with ultrasound also triggered the release of photosensitizer. The combination of photodynamic therapy and sonodynamic therapy strongly affects tumor vasculature as determined by dynamic contrast enhanced imaging using HSA-Gd(III)DTPA.

Topics: Animals; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Chlorophyll; Mice; Mice, SCID; Photochemotherapy; Ultrasonic Waves; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

A 54-year-old male with relapsed primary cerebral lymphoma and normal renal function was treated with methotrexate (MTX) 3 g/m(2) monthly by intravenous infusion. Throughout treatment the patient self-administered a complementary medicine (Jason Winter's chlorophyll®), which he was advised to cease during methotrexate treatment due to the potential for unknown interactions. For the first four cycles, chlorophyll was ceased two days prior to commencement of methotrexate and withheld until clearance. These cycles were administered without complication, and the methotrexate level reduced to <0.05 µmol/L within three days of each dose. Prior to cycle 5, chlorophyll was not ceased and there were no changes to concomitant medications. A literature search found no documented interactions between methotrexate and chlorophyll and the chemotherapy was administered without a delay in treatment. The methotrexate level three days post-administration was 0.36 µmol/L and did not reduce to <0.05 µmol/L until day 10. Consequently, from cycles 6 to 12, the methotrexate dose was halved, and the patient ceased chlorophyll 48 h prior to methotrexate administration until clearance. There were no further episodes of delayed methotrexate clearance. No impurities were detected in a sample of Jason Winter's chlorophyll®. It is therefore likely that the patient's delayed methotrexate clearance was due to an interaction with chlorophyll. It is recommended that such chlorophyll containing preparations be avoided in patients treated with methotrexate.

Topics: Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Brain Neoplasms; Chlorophyll; Complementary Therapies; Drug Interactions; Humans; Lymphoma; Male; Metabolic Clearance Rate; Methotrexate; Middle Aged

In this study, we evaluated 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-alpha (HPPH or Photochlor) as a photosensitizer for the treatment of malignant gliomas by photodynamic therapy (PDT).. We performed in vivo reflection spectroscopy in athymic rats to measure the attenuation of light in normal brain tissue. We also studied HPPH pharmacokinetics and PDT effects in nude rats with brain tumors derived from stereotactically implanted U87 human glioma cells. Rats implanted with tumors were sacrificed at designated time points to determine the pharmacokinetics of HPPH in serum, tumor, normal brain, and brain adjacent to tumor (BAT). HPPH concentrations in normal brain, BAT and tumor were determined using fluorescence spectroscopy. Twenty-four hours after intravenous injection of HPPH, we administered interstitial PDT treatment at a wavelength of 665 nm. Light was given in doses of 3.5, 7.5 or 15 J/cm at the tumor site and at a rate of 50 mW/cm.. In vivo spectroscopy of normal brain tissue showed that the attenuation depth of 665 nm light is approximately 30% greater than that of 630 nm light used to activate Photofrin, which is currently being evaluated for PDT as an adjuvant to surgery for malignant gliomas. The t1/2 of disappearance of drug from serum and tumor was 25 and 30 hours, respectively.. Twenty-four hours after injection of 0.5 mg/kg HPPH, tumor-to-brain drug ratios ranged from 5:1 to 15:1. Enhanced survival was observed in each of the HPPH/PDT-treated animal groups. These data suggest that HPPH may be a useful adjuvant for the treatment of malignant gliomas.

Topics: Animals; Brain Neoplasms; Chlorophyll; Glioma; Humans; Male; Models, Animal; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Rats; Rats, Nude; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spectrometry, Fluorescence; Survival Analysis

The authors describe a new photodynamic therapy (PDT) method for malignant brain tumors. Pheophorbide a (Ph-a), the photosensitizer, has low toxicity, causes no skin sensitization and is activated with an acoustic Q switched neodymium yttrium-argon-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser which achieves deep tissue penetration. The Ph-a distribution in Fisher 344 (F344) rats bearing rat T9 glioma at 24 hours after intravenous injection was very low in the normal brain tissue, but significantly higher in the T9 glioma giving a tumor to normal brain tissue concentration ratio of 7.5:1. The in vitro survival rate of T9 glioma cells pretreated with Ph-a was 68.8 +/- 5.4% after laser irradiation for 20 minutes, significantly lower than in the control groups. This indicates that Ph-a was activated with the acoustic Q switched Nd:YAG laser causing the photodynamic effect. The survival rate after Ph-a pretreatment and laser irradiation in a waterbath at 44.0 degrees C was further reduced to 15.8 +/- 3.3%. In vivo PDT studies using T9 glioma cells inoculated into the dorsal region of F344 rats showed tumor eradication in four of six rats. The combination of PDT and laser hyperthermia produced tumor eradication in all six rats. The combination of PDT and hyperthermia is a promising method for tumor treatment.

Topics: Animals; Brain Neoplasms; Chlorophyll; Glioma; Laser Therapy; Photochemotherapy; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Rats; Rats, Inbred F344; Survival Analysis; Tumor Cells, Cultured