Phthalocyanine-based Photosensitizer Research Articles

Synthesis of Glycoconjugated Phthalonitriles for New Phthalocyanine-Based Photosensitizers

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTExcellent photophysical and photochemical properties completed by magnificent take-up rates in malignant tissues attracted a great deal of interest to the application of glycosylated and glycoconjugated phthalocyanines in photodynamic therapy. In this study we describe the concise synthesis and full characterization of 16 differently 3,6-bisglycoconjugated phthalonitriles 3, 5, 6, 8, and 48–59, which are precursors for a new generation of photosensitizers, namely, nonperipheral glycoconjugated phthalocyanines. The first example for the synthesis of a nonperipheral glycoconjugated zinc phthalocyanine 60 from phthalonitrile 48 is also presented in this work.

Photoimmunotherapy targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen: are antibody fragments as effective as antibodies?

Photoimmunotherapy is a highly cell-selective cancer therapy based on an armed antibody conjugate with a phthalocyanine-based photosensitizer, IR700. Photoimmunotherapy induces rapid and highly specific necrosis in targeted cancer cells after exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light. Cells not expressing the antigen are not affected. To date, photoimmunotherapy has been demonstrated only with full antibody-IR700 conjugates. In this study, small and bivalent antibody fragments, including anti-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) diabody (Db) and minibody (Mb), were compared with intact IgG for their effectiveness as photoimmunotherapy agents. Radioiodinated antibody and antibody fragments with (125)I were used to determine the timing of maximum binding of each anti-PSMA antibody fragment on the cell surface in vivo in mice bearing either PSMA-positive or -negative PC3 tumors. Then therapeutic efficacy of photoimmunotherapy was examined by exposing mice to NIR light at 2 time points based on the time of maximum cell surface binding at 6 h after injection for Db-IR700 and 24 h after injection for Mb-IR700 and IgG-IR700 as well as 24 h after the peak uptake times. Photoimmunotherapy with the same molar concentration of PSMA-Db-IR700, PSMA-Mb-IR700, and PSMA-IgG-IR700 conjugate showed similar therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo on PSMA-positive PC3 tumor xenografts in cytotoxicity and survival curves (P > 0.05). The use of PSMA-Db-IR700 conjugate results in the shortest time interval between injection and NIR exposure without compromising therapeutic effects of photoimmunotherapy.

Phthalocyanine-Based Photosensitizers: More Efficient Photodynamic Therapy?

Phthalocyanine-Based Photosensitizers: More Efficient Photodynamic Therapy?

A novel SPE-HPLC method for simultaneous determination of selected sulfonated phthalocyanine zinc complexes in mouse plasma following cassette dosing

Sulfonated phthalocyanine zinc complexes (ZnPcSn) are a mixture of polymolecules with different number of the sulfonic groups. They are typical photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Analysis of the sulfonic phthalocyanine complexes in blood is a global technical challenge to developing this kind of photosensitizers into clinics. To circumvent the problem, we aimed at developing a novel solid-phase extraction (SPE)-HPLC method, which was primarily composed of (1) the SPE material that has both the aliphatic benzene group and hydrophilic ethylenediamino group bonded to the silica surface typically for retaining those hydrophobic compounds with some degree of hydrophilic anionic (negatively charged) functionality; and (2) the RP-Amide C16 HPLC column packed with palmitamidopropylsilane for both reversed-phase and anion exchange separation. The method was validated in terms of recovery, precision and accuracy for pharmacokinetic study with the photosensitizer following its intravenous cassette dosing to mice. The present study is the first report on using an SPE-HPLC mode to simultaneously determine the phthalocyanine-based polymolecule photosensitizer in blood. The study will aid in clinical development of photosensitizers.

A Phthalocyanine–Peptide Conjugate with High In Vitro Photodynamic Activity and Enhanced In Vivo Tumor‐Retention Property

A novel zinc(II) phthalocyanine conjugated with a short peptide with a nuclear localization sequence, Gly-Gly-Pro-Lys-Lys-Lys-Arg-Lys-Val, was synthesized by click chemistry and a standard Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis protocol. The conjugate was purified by HPLC and characterized with UV/Vis and high-resolution mass spectroscopic methods. Both this compound and its non-peptide-conjugated analogue are essentially non-aggregated in N,N-dimethylformamide and can generate singlet oxygen effectively with quantum yields (Φ(Δ)) of 0.84 and 0.81, respectively, relative to unsubstituted zinc(II) phthalocyanine (Φ(Δ) =0.56). Conjugation of the peptide sequence, however, can enhance the cellular uptake, efficiency in generating intracellular reactive oxygen species, and photocytotoxicity of the phthalocyanine-based photosensitizer against HT29 human colorectal carcinoma cells. The IC(50) value of the conjugate is as low as 0.21 μM. In addition, the conjugate shows an enhanced tumor-retention property in tumor-bearing nude mice. After 72 h post-injection, the dye concentration in the tumor was significantly higher than that in other organs. The results suggest that this phthalocyanine-peptide conjugate is a highly promising photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.

Synthesis and biological activities of phthalocyanine–estradiol conjugates

Phthalocyanine-based photosensitizers, coupled via a 17α-ethynyl group to estradiol using Pd(II) as a catalyst, were synthesized and evaluated for their estrogen receptor binding affinity and in vitro photocytotoxicity. The highest receptor binding affinities (RBA=8-13) were observed with lipophilic conjugates coupled via a relative long spacer group while the sulfonated analogues showed little binding affinities (RBA <2). The highest photocytotoxicity was observed with the sulfonated conjugates, the nature of the spacer group did not have a pronounced effect.

A cyclodextrin dimer with a photocleavable linker as a possible carrier for the photosensitizer in photodynamic tumor therapy.

A cyclodextrin dimer has been synthesized with two beta-cyclodextrins linked by a flexible chain containing a carbon-carbon double bond. This dimer binds and solubilizes a phthalocyanine-based photosensitizer that generates singlet oxygen on irradiation. When the complex is irradiated, the singlet oxygen cleaves the carbon-carbon link, and the cyclodextrins are released, liberating the photosensitizer into the light path. Ideas about how this phenomenon could be used to make photodynamic tumor therapy into a more selective process are described.