Photosensitizing effects and physicochemical properties of chlorophyll a derivatives with hydrophilic oligoethylene glycol fragments at the macrocycle periphery.

In this work, screening studies of the cytotoxic effect of chlorins with fragments of di-, tri-, and pentaethylene glycol at the macrocycle periphery in relation to HeLa, A549, and HT29 cells were performed. It is shown that, despite different hydrophobicity, all the compounds studied have a comparable photodynamic effect. The conjugate of chlorin e with pentaethylene glycol, which has the lowest tendency to association among the studied compounds with tropism for low density lipoproteins and the best characteristics of the formation of molecular complexes with Tween 80, has a significant difference in dark and photoinduced toxicity (ratio IC/IC approximately 2 orders of magnitude for all cell lines), which allows to hope for a sufficiently large "therapeutic window".

Pharmaceutical Approach to Develop Novel Photosensitizer Nanoformulation: An Example of Design and Characterization Rationale of Chlorophyll α Derivative.

In this study, we described physico-chemical properties of novel nanoformulation of photosensitizer-pyropheophorbide α 17-diethylene glycol ester (XL) (chlorophyll α derivative), revealing insights into antitumor activity and maintaining quality, meeting the pharmaceutical approach of new nanoformulation design. Our formulation, based on poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, increased XL solubility and selective tumor-targeted accumulation. In our research, we revealed, for the first time, that XL binding to polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) enhances XL photophysical activity, providing the rationale for PVA application as a stabilizer for nanoformulations.

Secondary metabolites of plants and their possible role in the "age of superbugs".

Bacterial infections are a serious cause of high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over the past decades, the drug resistance of bacterial pathogens has been steadily increasing, while the rate of development of new effective antibacterial drugs remains consistently low. The plant kingdom is sometimes called a bottomless well for the search for new antimicrobial therapies.

Bacterial Therapy of Cancer: A Way to the Dustbin of History or to the Medicine of the Future?

Bacteria are the constant companions of the human body throughout its life and even after its death. The history of a human disease such as cancer and the history of microorganisms, particularly bacteria, are believed to closely intertwined. This review was conceived to highlight the attempts of scientists from ancient times to the present day to discover the relationship between bacteria and the emergence or development of tumors in the human body.

Characterization of a Novel Amphiphilic Cationic Chlorin Photosensitizer for Photodynamic Applications.

A novel amphiphilic cationic chlorin derivative was investigated as a promising photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy. Two cationic -N(CH) groups on the periphery of the macrocycle provide additional hydrophilization of the molecule and ensure its electrostatic binding to the mitochondrial membranes and bacterial cell walls. The presence of a hydrophobic phytol residue in the same molecule results in its increased affinity towards the phospholipid membranes while decreasing its stability towards aggregation in aqueous media.

Solvation, Cancer Cell Photoinactivation and the Interaction of Chlorin Photosensitizers with a Potential Passive Carrier Non-Ionic Surfactant Tween 80.

Cancer and drug-resistant superinfections are common and serious problems afflicting millions worldwide. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a successful and clinically approved modality used for the management of many neoplastic and nonmalignant diseases. The combination of the light-activated molecules, so-called photosensitizers (PSs), with an appropriate carrier, is proved to enhance PDT efficacy both in vitro and in vivo.

Oxidative Damage Induced by Phototoxic Pheophorbide a 17-Diethylene Glycol Ester Encapsulated in PLGA Nanoparticles.

Pheophorbide a 17-diethylene glycol ester (XL-8), is a promising high-active derivative of known photosensitizer chlorin e6 used in photodynamic therapy. However, high lipophilicity and poor tumor accumulation limit XL-8 therapeutic application. We developed a novel XL-8 loaded with poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles using the single emulsion-solvent evaporation method.

Selective binding of a bioactive porphyrin-based photosensitizer to the G-quadruplex from the KRAS oncogene promoter.

Background: The G-quadruplex-forming sequence within the KRAS proto-oncogene P1 promoter is a promising target for anticancer therapy. Porphyrin derivatives are among the most rewarding G-quadruplex binders. They can also behave as photosensitizers.

Novel hydrophilic galactose-conjugated chlorin e derivatives for photodynamic therapy and fluorescence imaging.

We synthesized new hydrophilic chlorin e derivatives with two and four galactose fragments conjugated to the macrocycle via carbon atom in position 6 of the galactose fragment. Galactose fragments were inserted by alkylation of the amino groups of chlorin e amides with one and two ethylene diamine fragments on the macrocycle periphery with triflate of diacetone galactose, followed by removal of diisopropylidene protection by 70% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid. The synthesized compounds were shown to be capable of penetrating the membrane of HeLa cells; they have intense red fluorescence inside the cell and have phototoxic properties towards HeLa cells (upon LED irradiation at 660 nm and light exposure value of 12 J/cm).

Antiradical Activity of Porphyrins with a Diisobornylphenol Fragment at the Macrocycle Periphery.

This article focuses on the antiradical activity of a number of 2,6-diisobornylphenol-porphyrin conjugates with various spacers between the porphyrin and phenolic fragments in the model reaction of ethylbenzene oxidation initiated by azoisobutyric acid dinitrile. The study has shown that the electronic effects of the groups directly related to the 2,6-diisobornylphenol fragment exert the predominant influence both on the reactivity of the phenolic hydroxyl group in interaction with free radicals and on the antiradical activity of the molecule as a whole. The antiradical activity of the molecule is generally less affected by the nature of the substituents in the porphyrin macrocycle, mainly due to a change in the stoichiometric inhibition coefficient in the presence of relatively easily oxidizable groups.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new water-soluble photoactive chlorin conjugate for targeted delivery.

A new water-soluble conjugate, consisting of a chlorin-based photosensitizing part, and a 4-arylaminoquinazoline moiety with high potential affinity to an epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR), suitable for photodynamic therapy (PDT), was synthesized starting from methylpheophorbide-a in seven steps. An increased accumulation of this compound in A431 cells with high level of EGFR expression, in comparison with CHO and HeLa cells with low EGFR expression was observed. The prepared conjugate exhibits dark and photoinduced cytotoxicity at micromolar concentrations with IC/IC ratio of 11-18.

[Membrane protective properties of diastereomers of methylpheophorbide a 13(2)-n-n-octyl-N-(2-hydroxy-3-isobornyl-5-methylbenzyl)amide].

Two diastereomers of methylpheophorbide a 13(2)-N-n-octyl-N-(2-hydroxy-3-isobornyl-5-methylbenzyl)amide were obtained from (+)- and (-)-enantiomers of 2-isobornyl-4-methylphenol. Evaluation of membrane protective and antioxidant activity of individual diastereomers on the model of H2O2-induced hemolysis of blood erythrocytes showed that the stereochemistry of isobornyl substituent in the synthesized conjugates has no effect on their biological activity.

[Synthesis of novel terpenophenol-chlorin conjugates and evaluation of their membranotropic and membrane protective properties].

A series of terpenophenol-chlorin conjugates where terpenophenolic fragment has amide bond with macrocycle of methylpheophorbide a, formed by amidation of 13(2)-ester group were obtained by interaction of methylpheophorbide a and ortho-aminomethyl derivatives of 2-isobornyl-4-methylphenol. The substances investigated ability to interact with the cell membrane was shown in blood erythrocytes surface structure with scanning electron microscope. The conjugates studied were established to have antioxidant and membrane protective properties resulted from inhibiting H2O2-induced erythrocytes hemolysis and decrease of lipid peroxidation secondary product accumulation.

Novel boronated chlorin e6-based photosensitizers: synthesis, binding to albumin and antitumour efficacy.

Chlorins, a class of plant porphyrins, are perspective as photosensitizing agents due to light absorption in the long wavelength spectral region and deeper photodamage of tissues. Aiming at optimization of antitumour properties of chlorins, we synthesized a series of boronated derivatives of chlorin e(6) and their complexes containing Zn(II), Pd(II) or Sn(IV). The compounds were synthesized by alkylation of amino or hydroxy derivatives of chlorin e(6) with 1-trifluoromethanesulfonylmethyl-o-carborane.