chlorophyll-a and Melanoma

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a method for killing cancer cells by employing reactive singlet oxygen (

Topics: Animals; Cell Hypoxia; Cell Line, Tumor; Chlorophyll; Choroid Neoplasms; Fluorocarbons; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Melanoma; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Nanoparticles; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Singlet Oxygen

Both melanoma cells and tissues were allowed to interact with an identical pool of billions of human-safe phage nanofiber clones with each genetically displaying a unique 12-mer peptide at the tips, respectively, resulting in the discovery of bionanofibers displaying a melanoma cell/tissue dual-homing peptide for personalized targeted melanoma therapy.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Bacteriophage M13; Cell Line, Tumor; Chlorophyll; Drug Carriers; Female; Humans; Light; Melanocytes; Melanoma; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nanofibers; Peptide Library; Peptides; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Protein Binding; Viral Proteins

A strategy combining covalent conjugation of photosensitizers to a peptide ligand directed to the melanocortin 1 (MC1) receptor with the application of sequential LED light dosage at near-IR wavelengths was developed to achieve specific cytotoxicity to melanocytes and melanoma (MEL) with minimal collateral damage to surrounding cells such as keratinocytes (KER). The specific killing of melanotic cells by targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) described in this study holds promise as a potentially effective adjuvant therapeutic method to control benign skin hyperpigmentation or superficial melanotic malignancy such as Lentigo Maligna Melanoma (LMM).

Topics: Animals; Cell Proliferation; Chlorophyll; Humans; Ligands; Melanoma; Methylene Blue; Mice; Peptides; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Receptors, Melanocortin

A great challenge in developing nanotechnologies for cancer diagnosis and therapy has been the combined functionalities required for complicated clinical procedures. Among all requirements, toxicity has been the major hurdle that has prevented most of the nano-carriers from clinical use. Here, we extracted chlorophyll (Chl) from vegetable and encapsulated it into polymer (pluronic F68, Plu) micelles for cancer imaging and therapy. The results showed that the Chl-containing nanocomposites were capable of mouse tumor targeting, and the nanocomposite fluorescence within the tumor sites remained at high intensity more than two days after tail-vein injection. It is interesting that oral administration with the nanocomposites was also successful for tumor target imaging. Furthermore, the dietary Chl was found to be able to efficiently convert near-infrared laser irradiation to heat. The growths of melanoma cells and mouse tumors were effectively inhibited after being treated with the nanocomposites and irradiation. The suppression of the tumors was achieved by laser-triggered photothermal and photodynamic synergistic effects of Chl. As a natural substance from vegetable, Chl is non-toxic, making it an ideal nano-carrier for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Based on the results of this research, the Plu-Chl nanocomposites have shown promise for future clinical applications.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Chlorophyll; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced; Lasers; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Micelles; Nanocomposites; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents; Poloxamer

In order to apply photodynamic therapy (PDT) to pigmented melanoma, the efficacy of PDT mediated by pheophorbide alpha from silkworm excreta (SPbalpha) and commercial Photofrin against B16F10 melanoma was comparatively studied from the in vivo assay using C57BL/6J mice. From in vitro PDT assay, the proliferation of B16F10 cells treated with SPbalpha (more than 0.5 microg/ml) and light illumination (1.2 J/cm2) were significantly inhibited with the necrotic response. This indicated that the photocytotoxicity of SPbalpha (665 nm) was not influenced by melanin from melanoma. From the assessment of the in vivo photosensitizing activity, the tumor growth was further delayed in groups treated with SPbalpha/PDT compared to that treated with Photofrin /PDT. The survival rate of tumor bearing mice treated with SPbalpha/PDT was closely associated with its photosensitizing effect. In addition, the photosensitizing effect of SPbalpha/PDT showed a dose dependent tendency in light illumination. These results demonstrated that B16F10 melanoma cells were significantly photosensitized by SPbalpha/PDT, regardless of the influence of melanin from melanoma, and SPbalpha/PDT at very low drug dose (1 mg/kg) and light dose (1.2 J/cm2) showed the photosensitizing efficacy surpassing Photofrin against B16F10 melanoma in mice system.

Topics: Animals; Bombyx; Cell Death; Cell Line, Tumor; Chlorophyll; Female; Light; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neoplasm Transplantation; Photochemotherapy; Pigmentation; Survival Rate

Three pheophorbide-related compounds (1-3) were isolated from the leaves and stems of Clerodendrum calamitosum. The methyl ester of 3 (6) and the known (10S)-hydroxypheophytin a (7) also were isolated from leaves of the related plant Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum. Compounds 1 and 6 were isolated for the first time as naturally occurring products from a plant source. All structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Biological evaluation showed that 1 and 2 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against human lung carcinoma (A549), ileocecal carcinoma (HCT-8), kidney carcinoma (CAKI-1), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), malignant melanoma (SK-MEL-2), ovarian carcinoma (1A9), and epidermoid carcinoma of the nasopharynx (KB), and its etoposide- (KB-7d), vincristine- (KB-VCR), and camptothecin-resistant (KB-CPT) subclones. Compound 3 was less cytotoxic than 1 and 2. Compounds 4-6, the methyl esters of 1-3, showed strongly increased cytotoxicity compared with the parent acids. Interestingly, 6 was the most active derivative among these compounds. Compound 7 was inactive.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Breast Neoplasms; Camptothecin; Cell Survival; Chlorophyll; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance; Etoposide; Female; Humans; Ileal Neoplasms; KB Cells; Kidney Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Melanoma; Molecular Structure; Ovarian Neoplasms; Plant Leaves; Plant Stems; Plants, Medicinal; Stereoisomerism; Structure-Activity Relationship; Taiwan; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Vincristine

Two amphiphilic derivatives of chlorophyll, which have high potential as photodynamic therapy sensitizers for malignant melanoma have been investigated by a combination of laser flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis. It is shown that direct excitation of monomeric forms of these molecules in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic environments produces significant yields of the corresponding triplet states, which have been characterized in terms of spectral and kinetic parameters. In both environments, scavenging of the triplets by oxygen produces singlet oxygen, O2(1 delta g), with essentially unit efficiency as evidenced by time-resolved IR luminescence measurements.

Topics: Chlorophyll; Humans; Lasers; Melanoma; Oxygen; Photochemistry; Photochemotherapy; Photolysis; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Singlet Oxygen; Spectrophotometry

Topics: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Chlorophyll; Contrast Media; Ethiodized Oil; Female; Humans; Inguinal Canal; Iodized Oil; Lymph Node Excision; Lymph Nodes; Lymphatic Metastasis; Lymphatic System; Lymphography; Melanoma; Methods; Pelvis; Vulvar Neoplasms