Evaluation of the Photosensitizer Tookad® for Photodynamic Therapy on the Syrian Golden Hamster Cheek Pouch Model: Light Dose, Drug Dose and Drug-light Interval Effects¶

Abstract

We have evaluated the efficacy of the new photosensitizer (PS) Tookad® in photodynamic therapy (PDT) in vivo. This PS is a palladium-bacteriopheophorbide presenting absorption peaks at 762 and 538 nm. The light dose, drug dose and drug injection–light irradiation interval (DLI), ranging between 100 and 300 J/cm2, 1 and 5 mg/kg and from 10 to 240 min, respectively, were varied, and the response to PDT was analyzed by staging the macroscopic response and by the histological examination of the sections of the irradiated cheek pouch. The level of PDT response, macroscopically and histologically, shows a strong dependence on the DLI, light dose and drug dose at the applied conditions in the normal hamster cheek pouch. A decay of the tissular response with increasing DLI is observed corresponding to a time of half-maximum response ranging from 10 to 120 min, depending on drug dose and light dose. The tissues affected at the lowest doses are predominantly the vascularized diffuse connective tissue situated between the inner and outer striated muscle (SM) layers as well as these muscle layers themselves. The highest response at the shortest DLI and the absence of a measurable response at DLI longer than 240 min at 300 J/cm2 and drug dose of 5 mg/kg are characteristics of a predominantly vascular effect of this PS. This observation suggests that Tookad® could be effective in PDT of vascularized lesions or pathologies associated with the proliferation of neovessels.