Photohaptenic properties of fluoroquinolones

A Novel Drug-Drug Cocrystal of Levofloxacin and Metacetamol: Reduced Hygroscopicity and Improved Photostability of Levofloxacin

Levofloxacin (LVFX), a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent from the fluoroquinolone family, is universally prescribed with antipyretics, including paracetamol (APAP) analogs. In this study, a new drug-drug cocrystal of LVFX and an APAP analog was developed using a grinding and heating approach. Among 9 APAP analogs, only metacetamol (AMAP) was able to form a cocrystal with LVFX, with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. This cocrystal was obtained from a eutectic melt of anhydrous LVFX and AMAP after complete desorption of water from LVFX hemihydrate. The crystal structure of the cocrystal was determined by single-crystal X-ray structural analysis. Unlike LVFX hydrates, the LVFX-AMAP cocrystal did not form a channel structure where water molecules reside in LVFX hydrates. Thus, the LVFX-AMAP cocrystal did not undergo hydration under high relative humidity conditions during vapor sorption-desorption analysis and physical stability tests. LVFX photostability was improved by cocrystallization when compared with that of the hemihydrate because of hydrogen bond formation between the hydroxyl group of AMAP and the N-methylpiperazine group of LVFX, which is possibly involved in LVFX photodegradation. The LVFX-AMAP cocrystal, which is superior to LVFX hydrates in both pharmacological and physicochemical properties, is expected to be a useful solid form.

Addition of UVA-absorber butyl methoxy dibenzoylmethane to topical ketoprofen formulation reduces ketoprofen-photoallergic reaction

Topical application of ketoprofen (KP) clinically evokes the allergic type of photocontact dermatitis. To avoid this adverse reaction, we investigated the beneficial effect of each ultraviolet (UV) filter that was included in topical ketoprofen formulation. We first tested the inhibitory effects of four UVA filters by a modified local lymph node assay following KP application on the mouse skin and UVA irradiation on the same site. In this assessment, butyl methoxy dibenzoylmethane (BMDBM), when included in KP application, exerted the most effective inhibitory effect on stimulation with KP and UVA. We manufactured topical patch and gel KP applicants containing BMDBM, which retained KP penetration through the skin and KP stability toward UVA. The ability of BMDBM in these formulations to inhibit KP photosensitivity was evaluated by a modified adjuvant and strip method in guinea pigs, and the photoallergic reactions induced by the BMDBM-containing KP applicants were lower than the non-containing ones. It is known that KP has a cross-reactivity with benzophenone upon UVA exposure, but such a photocross-reactivity of BMDBM with KP was not observed in a mouse ear swelling model. The anti-inflammatory effect of the BMDBM-containing KP patch applicant was comparable to the non-containing one. These results suggest that the addition of BMDBM into KP topical formulations is efficacious for inhibition of KP photocontact dermatitis.

A novel in vitro method for the detection and characterization of photosensitizers

Photoactivation and binding of photoactive chemicals to proteins is a known prerequisite for the formation of immunogenic photoantigens and the induction of photoallergy. The intensive use of products and the availability of new chemicals, along with an increasing exposure to sun light contribute to the risk of photosensitizing adverse reactions. Dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role in the induction of allergic contact dermatitis. Human peripheral blood monocyte derived dendritic cells (PBMDC) were thus perceived as an obvious choice for the development of a novel in vitro photosensitization assay using the modulation of cell surface protein expression in response to photosensitizing agents. In this new protocol, known chemicals with photosensitizing, allergenic or non-allergenic potential were pre-incubated with PBMDCs prior to UVA irradiation (1 J/cm(2)). Following a 48 h incubation, the expression of the cell surface molecules CD86, HLA-DR and CD83 was measured by flow cytometry. All tested photosensitizers induced a significant and dose-dependent increase of CD86 expression after irradiation compared to non-irradiated controls. Moreover, the phototoxicity of the chemicals could also be determined. In contrast, (i) CD86 expression was not affected by the chosen irradiation conditions, (ii) increased CD86 expression induced by allergens was independent of irradiation and (iii) no PBMDC activation was observed with the non-allergenic control. The assay proposed here for the evaluation of the photoallergenic potential of chemicals includes the assessment of their allergenic, phototoxic and toxic potential in a single and robust test system and is filling a gap in the in vitro photoallergenicity test battery.

Induction of eosinophil-infiltrating drug photoallergy in mice

BACKGROUND

Drug photoallergy is one of the highly incident adverse effects. Several different histological patterns have been recognized.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a murine model of the eosinophil-infiltrating type of drug photoallergy by using afloqualone (AQ), a representative photosensitive drug.

METHODS

AKR/J mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of afloqualone solution (2mg/kg/mouse) and irradiation of shaved abdomen with ultraviolet A light (UVA) (12J/cm(2)). This sensitization procedure was repeated 2-12 times, and 3 days after the last immunization, mice were challenged by a subcutaneous injection of AQ solution and irradiation of the same site with UVA. The draining lymph node cells (LNCs) were used for transfer and cytokine production studies, and the challenged skin was analyzed for chemokine expression.

RESULTS

More than 10 times of sensitization induced a massive infiltrate of eosinophils and lymphocytes at the challenged site. AKR/J mice were a high responder strain. The sensitivity was transferred with 5-8 x 10(7) immune lymph node and spleen cells into naïve mice. CD4(+) T cells were mainly responsible for this sensitivity, since 1 x 10(7) CD4(+) cells alone induced a high level of sensitivity, but CD8(+) T cells evoked the sensitivity to a lesser degree. Culture supernatants from AQ-photoimmuned lymph node cells contained a higher level of IL-4 and lower interferon-gamma than those from mice immunized with dinitrofluorobenzene. Finally, the skin of AQ-photochallenged site exhibited high expression of CCL24/eotaxin-2, a chemokine for eosinophils.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that eosinophilic drug photoallergy is mediated by sensitized Th2 cells and locally produced eosinophil-attracting chemokines.

Stimulation of Langerhans cells with ketoprofen plus UVA in murine photocontact dermatitis to ketoprofen

BACKGROUND

Ketoprofen (KP) clinically evokes the allergic type of photocontact dermatitis when applied to the skin and irradiated with ultraviolet A (UVA). We have established a murine model of photocontact dermatitis to KP, which is a T cell-mediated delayed type hypersensitivity.

OBJECTIVE

To further explore the mechanism underlying this sensitivity, we investigated whether KP plus UVA activates the antigen-presenting ability of Langerhans cells (LCs).

METHODS

We analyzed the expression of surface molecules on LCs in the murine epidermis treated with KP plus UVA by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Changes in the cytokine expression of epidermal cells from KP-phototreated skin were also examined by real-time PCR.

RESULTS

LCs became larger after treatment with KP plus UVA. The number of LCs was significantly decreased 2-3 days after KP phototreatment and recovered on day 5. A flow cytometric analysis revealed that KP plus UVA increased the percentage of LCs that highly expressed MHC class II, CD86, CD80, CD54 and CD40, whereas neither KP nor UVA alone enhanced the expression. KP phototreatment augmented the expression of I-A and CD86 on LCs in KP and UVA dose-dependent manners. A real-time PCR analysis of KP-phototreated skin showed that the expression of mRNA for IL-1alpha and GM-CSF was immediately increased after treatment.

CONCLUSION

A photosensitizing regimen of KP plus UVA activates LCs at least partly by stimulating keratinocytes to produce cytokines. Two strains of mice (BALB/c and AKR) differ in responsiveness to KP and the difference is not related to the activation of keratinocytes.

Photocontact dermatitis and chloracne: two major occupational and environmental skin diseases induced by different actions of halogenated chemicals

Among occupational and environmental disorders, contact or photocontact dermatitis and an acneiform eruption are two major skin disorders. Photocontact dermatitis was historically caused by various halogenated salicylanilides, while the acne is induced by halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and thus called chloracne. Therefore, it should be noted that halogenated chemical compounds are important causative agents in the occupational and environmental medicine. In photocontact dermatitis, photoconjugation of epidermal cells with a photohaptenic halogenated chemical is the initial step. Langerhans cells serve as antigen-presenting cells and T cells sensitized by photoantigen-bearing Langerhans cells induce this photosensitivity. On the other hand, in chloracne, halogeneted hydrocarbons render keratinocytes of the outer root sheath and sebaceous duct hyperplastic. The dilated infundibulum of most hair follicles is then filled with comedone that consist of many accumulated layers of keratinized cells and sebum. Therefore, halogenated chemicals exhibit different actions, i.e. the induction of an immunologic consequence and the modulation of keratinocyte biology. These two conditions also provide good experimental models for investigating dermatology.

Photoinduced N-demethylation of rufloxacin and its methyl ester under aerobic conditions

Irradiation of rufloxacin (RF) under aerobic conditions gives rise to N-demethylation of the piperazinyl ring, which is enhanced in aerated D2O. Two primary processes seem to be involved in RF N-demethylation: photoionization from 1RF and singlet oxygen generation from 3RF. Both processes may lead to the same key intermediates, namely, RF*+ and superoxide radical anion; coupling of these intermediates explains N-demethylation of RF via an iminium cation. Formation of the hydrated electron by a monophotonic process (with a quantum yield of 0.09) is detected along with 3RF (with a intersystem-crossing quantum yield phiISC = 0.36) by laser flash photolysis. Studies performed on RF methyl ester give qualitatively similar results.

Physicochemical properties of quinolone antibiotics in various environments

The progress and photosensitivity of quinolone antibiotics are briefly described. By the photolysis of nalidixic acid, the loss of -COOH group is observed. The photoreaction of fluoroquinolones involves heterolytic C-F bond fragmentation. The protonation and divalent cation complexation equilibria are also examined. The spectroscopic properties of these drugs are intensively investigated in biological mimetic systems such as AOT reverse micelle, and H(2)O-CH(3)OH and H(2)O-CH(3)CN mixed solvents. For ofloxacin and norfloxacin, the excited-state intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) is observed. So, fluorescence spectra exhibit reverse solvatochromism in mixed solvents. The change of radiative and non-radiative rate constant can also be explained using this ICT. The influence of dielectric effects of solvent is more significant compared with the specific hydrogen bonding interaction. Theoretical treatments support all of these results.

Quinolone-photoconjugated major histocompatibility complex class II-binding peptides with lysine are antigenic for T cells mediating murine quinolone photoallergy

Fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents cause photosensitivity dermatitis as an adverse effect and can function immunologically as photohapten. In a murine model of quinolone photoallergy, Langerhans cells are photomodified with a systemically given quinolone upon ultraviolet A irradiation of skin and thus present photohaptenic moieties to sensitize and restimulate T cells. The aim of this study is to determine the site of peptides/proteins photobound to quinolones and to assess the T cell antigenicity of quinolone-photocoupled peptides using Langerhans cells as photoadduct-presenting cells. On an amino acid composition analysis, lysine was preferentially degraded in bovine serum albumin that was ultraviolet A-conjugated with a representative quinolone ofloxacin. An affinity chromatographic study using a quinolone photoadduct-specific monoclonal antibody as ligand demonstrated preferential photocoupling of ofloxacin with a lysine-containing peptide. CD4+ T cells were purified from lymph nodes of BALB/c mice sensitized subcutaneously with ofloxacin-photomodified epidermal cells and from those sensitized epicutaneously via barrier-disrupted skin with a major histocompatibility complex class II (I-Ad)-binding, ofloxacin-photoconjugated peptide. These immune T cells proliferated in vitro in response to Langerhans cells loaded with class II-binding, lysine-containing peptides when photomodified with ofloxacin. Furthermore, epicutaneous application of the ofloxacin-photoconjugated peptide was able to prime mice for subsequent elicitation of photoallergy evoked with systemic ofloxacin and ultraviolet A light. This study suggests that lysine affords quinolone photocoupling of peptides and quinolone-photomodified peptides on class II molecules stimulate pathogenetic T cells in quinolone photoallergy.

Primary photophysical properties of ofloxacin

Steady-state fluorescence has been used to study the excited singlet state of ofloxacin (OFLX) in aqueous solutions. Fluorescence emission was found to be pH dependent, with a maximum quantum yield of 0.17 at pH 7. Two pKa*s of around 2 and 8.5 were obtained for the excited singlet state. Laser flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis have been used to study the excited states and free radicals of OFLX in aqueous solutions. OFLX undergoes monophotonic photoionization from the excited singlet state with a quantum yield of 0.2. The cation radical so produced absorbs maximally at 770 nm with an extinction coefficient of 5000 +/- 500 dm3 mol-1 cm-1. This is confirmed by one-electron oxidation in the pulse radiolysis experiments. The hydrated electron produced in the photoionization process reacts with ground state OFLX with a rate constant of 2.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(10) dm3 mol-1 s-1, and the anion thus produced has two absorption bands at 410 nm (extinction coefficient = 3000 +/- 300 dm3 mol-1 cm-1) and at 530 nm. Triplet-triplet absorption has a maximum at 610 nm with an extinction coefficient of 11,000 +/- 1500 dm3 mol-1 cm-1. The quantum yield of triplet formation has been determined to be 0.33 +/- 0.05. In the presence of oxygen, the triplet reacts to form both excited singlet oxygen and superoxide anion with quantum yields of 0.13 and < or = 0.2, respectively. Moreover, superoxide anion is also formed by the reaction of oxygen with the hydrated electron from photoionization. Hence the photosensitivity due to OFLX could be initiated by the oxygen radicals and/or by OFLX radicals acting as haptens.

Immune responses to photohaptens: implications for the mechanisms of photosensitivity to exogenous agents

A photohaptenic moiety is one of the salient properties of photoallergic chemicals. Clinically, it is likely that photohaptens are the main causative substances in photoallergic contact dermatitis and drug photoallergy. Photohaptens bind covalently to protein under exposure to ultraviolet A light (UVA). Because of this photocoupling ability, cells are easily photoderivatized with a photohapten by UVA irradiation, becoming immunogenic photohapten-modified cells. Langerhans cells photomodified with a photohapten can stimulate immune T cells when photomodification is performed with a non-phototoxic dose of UVA.

Formation of antigenic quinolone photoadducts on Langerhans cells initiates photoallergy to systemically administered quinolone in mice

Quinolone antibacterial agents are well known to cause photoallergy as a side-effect. Murine photoallergy to fluoroquinolones is a T cell-mediated immune response, evoked either by systemic fluoroquinolone and subsequent exposure of skin to ultraviolet A light or by subcutaneous injection of fluoroquinolone-photomodified epidermal cells. In this photosensitivity, epidermal Langerhans cells may be photomodified initially with the drug and thus present photohaptenic moieties to sensitize and restimulate T cells. Although we have shown that Langerhans cells photocoupled in vitro with fluoroquinolones are capable of stimulating sensitized T cells, it remains unclear whether systemically given fluoroquinolone photomodifies Langerhans cells upon ultraviolet A irradiation of the skin and the Langerhans cells become photohapten-bearing, T cell-stimulatory cells. In a murine model of fleroxacin photoallergy induced by intraperitoneal injection of the drugs plus ultraviolet A irradiation of skin, we found that Langerhans cells as well as keratinocytes are photoderivatized with fleroxacin as demonstrated with a fluoroquinolone-specific monoclonal antibody. Langerhans-cell-enriched epidermal cells prepared from mice treated with fleroxacin and ultraviolet A induced proliferation of sensitized T cells, indicating that photomodified Langerhans cells are functional. There was an optimal range of ultraviolet A dose to quantitatively and qualitatively form fleroxacin-photomodified Langerhans cells, as excess ultraviolet A rather reduced the photoantigen-presenting capacity of Langerhans cells presumably because of drug phototoxicity. Our study suggests that Langerhans cells serve as photoantigen-presenting cells in drug photoallergy.

Keratinocytes from patients with lupus erythematosus show enhanced cytotoxicity to ultraviolet radiation and to antibody-mediated cytotoxicity

Keratinocyte cytotoxicity is an important component of the immunopathology of photosensitive lupus erythematosus, and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) has been shown to be an important mechanism by which autoantibodies, especially those specific for SS-A/Ro, can induce keratinocyte damage in models of photosensitive lupus. We provide further evidence that keratinocytes from patients with photosensitive lupus show significantly greater ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced cytotoxicity, and that ADCC of these targets is especially enhanced by autologous patient's serum or by anti-SS-A/Ro+ sera. Keratinocytes from normal uninvolved skin of 29 patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) were grown in cell culture and tested as targets in cytotoxicity experiments in vitro. Cultured keratinocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) showed significantly greater cytotoxicity following UVR treatment than did keratinocytes from normal adult controls or from neonatal foreskins (P < 0.01). The same cultures also showed greater UVR-induced binding of IgG from fractionated anti-SS-A/Ro+ preparations. ADCC experiments were also performed using keratinocytes cultured from patients with SLE, SCLE, discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), and normal controls. When keratinocytes were incubated in autologous serum plus a standard mononuclear cell effector population, the percentage of ADCC observed was significantly greater in cultures containing keratinocytes and sera from the SLE and SCLE patients (P < 0.001). When cultured keratinocytes were added to different IgG antibody probes, plus standard mononuclear effector populations, greater ADCC was seen using the anti-SS-A/Ro probe and keratinocytes from patients with SLE or SCLE. With normal human neonatal keratinocyte targets, the anti-SS-A/Ro probe induced greater ADCC than that seen with anti-ssDNA or normal human serum. We have shown that keratinocytes from patients with some forms of lupus erythematosus (SLE and SCLE) show greater cytotoxicity in vitro when irradiated with UVR, and greater susceptibility to ADCC whether the antibody source is their own serum or an anti-SS-A/Ro probe.

Lymphocyte stimulation test with drug-photomodified cells in patients with quinolone photosensitivity

Quinolone antibacterial agents, known to elicit photosensitive dermatitis as an adverse effect, have both phototoxicity and photoallergenicity. The latter potency is mainly derived from their photohaptenic moiety; quinolones covalently bind to protein and cells upon exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) light. Our previous study has shown the in vivo and in vitro antigenicity of quinolone-photomodified cells in mice. Here, we examined the presence of sensitized lymphocytes that react with quinolone-photomodified autologous cells in patients with photosensitivity to quinolones. A flow cytometric analysis using a monoclonal antibody specific to quinolone photoadducts demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were successfully photomodified with quinolones upon exposure to UVA. PBMC from quinolone-photosensitive patients were cocultured with autologous PBMC photomodified with the causative drug. Modest but significant proliferative responses of responder lymphocytes were found in patients photosensitive to lomefloxacin, fleroxacin, and enoxacin, indicating photoallergic mechanism in these patients. On the other hand, sparfloxacin-photosensitive patients exhibited negative lymphocyte stimulation test, suggesting that its photosensitivity is mainly phototoxic. When UVA-preirradiated quinolones were used as stimulators, only fleroxacin exceptionally stimulated patients' PBMC, indicating its prohaptenic as well as photohaptenic properties. These findings suggest the presence of circulating sensitized T cells in patients with photosensitivity to certain quinolones.

Photoinduced C-F Bond Cleavage in Some Fluorinated 7-Amino-4-quinolone-3-carboxylic Acids

The photochemistry of some fluorinated 7-amino-4-quinolone-3-carboxylic acids used in therapy as antibacterials and known to be phototoxic has been investigated in water. All of them undergo heterolytic defluorination, and this appears to be a path for the generation of aryl cations in solution. 6-Fluoro derivatives such as norfloxacin (Phi(dec) = 0.06) and enoxacin (Phi(dec) = 0.13) give the corresponding phenols. Insertion of an electron-donating substituent makes defluorination inefficient; thus, ofloxacin, an 8-alkoxy derivative, is found to be rather photostable (Phi(dec) = 0.001) and reacts in part via a process different from defluorination (degradation of the N-alkyl side chain). With a 6,8-difluoro derivative, lomefloxacin, the reaction is more efficient (Phi = 0.55) and selective for position 8. Contrary to the previous cases, the aryl cation undergoes insertion in the neighboring N-ethyl group rather than solvent addition (a carbene-like chemistry). With all of the above fluoroquinolones an intensive triplet-triplet absorption is detected and is quenched by sulfite (k(q) = (1-5) x 10(8) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). Under this condition, reductive defluorination via the radical anion takes place. The relation of the above chemistry to the phototoxicity of these drugs is commented upon briefly.

Quinolone photoallergy: photosensitivity dermatitis induced by systemic administration of photohaptenic drugs

Quinolone antibacterial agents are well known to elicit photosensitivity as a side effect. The photoallergenicity of fluoroquinolones, the representative quinolone derivatives, is mainly derived from their photohaptenic moiety. When epidermal cells are irradiated with ultraviolet A light in the presence of fluoroquinolones, quinolone photoadducts are formed in the treated cells. This photomodification is thought to be an initial step for sensitization and elicitation of this photoallergy, and quinolone-photoderivatized Langerhans cells are capable of stimulating immune T cells in mice. In the murine model, fluoroquinolone photoallergy is mediated by Th1 cells bearing T cell receptor Vbeta 13. There is a broad photoantigenic cross-reactivity among fluoroquinolones in recognition by T cells and immunoglobulins. Therefore, it is most likely that fluoroquinolones carry the same photoantigenic epitope, which is recognized by Vbetal3+ T cells, leading to fluoroquinolone photosensitivity and cross-reactivity.

Cross-Reactivity in Murine Fluoroquinolone Photoallergy: Exclusive Usage of TCR Vβ13 by Immune T Cells That Recognize Fluoroquinolone-Photomodified Cells

Fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents are well known to elicit photosensitivity as an adverse effect, and their cross-reactivity has been clinically documented. The photoallergenicity of fluoroquinolones is mainly derived from their photohaptenic moiety, and photomodification of skin epidermal cells with fluoroquinolones is thought to be an initial step for this photoallergy. Here we have explored, both in vivo and in vitro, T cell responses to fluoroquinolone-photomodified cells, focusing on their photoantigenic cross-reactivity. Cells were derivatized with fluoroquinolones under exposure to UV-A, and fluoroquinolone photoadducts were detected in photomodified cells by immunostaining, flow cytometry, and cell ELISA using fluoroquinolone-specific mAb. T cell-mediated hypersensitivity induced and elicited by s.c. injection of fluoroquinolone-photomodified epidermal cells was cross-reactive among six fluoroquinolones. In addition, lymph node cells from mice sensitized with fluoroquinolone-photomodified cells proliferated well in vitro not only to Langerhans cell-enriched epidermal cells photoderivatized with corresponding fluoroquinolone, but also to those photomodified with any of five other fluoroquinolones, supporting their cross-reactivity. In three fluoroquinolones tested, Th1 populations that expanded after in vitro photoantigenic stimulation of immune lymph node cells expressed the same Vβ13 of TCR. The sensitivity could be transferred by the i.v. administration of this Vβ13+ T cell line into naive recipients, in which a high percentage of Vβ13+ cells infiltrated at the challenge site. These findings suggest that these fluoroquinolones carry the same photoantigenic epitope, which is recognized by Vβ13+ T cells, leading to fluoroquinolone photosensitivity and cross-reactivity.

Photosensitizing properties of quinine and synthetic antimalarials

Quinine, an alkaloid that occurs in the bark of trees of the genus Cinchona, has been used for the treatment of malaria in humans for over 150 years. In 1888 it was reported that quinine was more toxic to plant tissues and frog eggs in the light than in the dark; thus it is probably one of the first pure compounds shown to be a photosensitizer for biological systems. During this century, because of the toxic side effects of quinine and the appearance of quinine-resistant malarial strains, a search was begun to identify synthetic antimalarial compounds with improved properties. A number have been identified and are now in widespread use; but like quinine, most of these are also photosensitizers. Because of the very large numbers of patients receiving antimalarials, many studies have been made of the photophysical, photochemical and photosensitizing properties of quinine and several of the most commonly used synthetic antimalarials (chloroquine, primaquine, quinacrine and mefloquine). The results of these studies are summarized in this review. Most antimalarials photosensitize in part by the generation of singlet oxygen, although free radical pathways may also be involved. The carcinogenic and photocarcinogenic properties of antimalarials and related compounds are briefly surveyed.

Photogenotoxicity of skin phototumorigenic fluoroquinolone antibiotics detected using the comet assay

The fluoroquinolone (FQ) antibiotics photosensitize human skin to solar UV radiation and are reported to photosensitize tumor formation in mouse skin. As tumor initiation will not occur without genotoxic insult, we examined the potential of ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, fleroxacin, BAYy3118 (a recently developed monofluorinated quinolone) and a nalidixic acid to photosensitize DNA damage in V79 hamster fibroblasts in vitro. Cells were exposed to 37.5 kJ/m2 UVA (320-400 nm; glass filtered Sylvania psoralen + UVA (PUVA) tubes; calibrated Waldmann radiometer) at 4 degrees C in the presence of FQ and immediately afterwards embedded in agarose, lysed and placed in an electrophoretic field at pH 12. Under these denaturing conditions, the presence of DNA single-strand breaks (SSB), alkali-labile sites (ALS) and double-strand breaks (DSB) can be visualized as DNA migrating away from the nucleus (characteristic "comet" appearance) after staining with a specific fluorochrome. At FQ concentrations that induced minimal loss of cell viability (neutral red uptake assay) the compounds tested induced comets with a rank order of BAYy3118 > norfloxacin > ciprofloxacin > lomefloxacin > fleroxacin > nalidixic acid. If cells were incubated after treatment for 1 h at 37 degrees C, the comet score decreased, suggesting efficient removal of SSB/ALS/DSB. Addition of the DNA polymerase(alpha) inhibitor, aphidicolin, to cells treated with either ciprofloxacin alone or ciprofloxacin + UVA resulted in an accumulation of SSB due to the endo/exonuclease steps of excision repair. We have demonstrated that the FQ are photogenotoxic in mammalian cells but the FQ-photosensitized SSB are efficiently repaired. Preliminary evidence that ciprofloxacin photosensitizes the formation of DNA lesions warranting excision repair may indicate production of more mutagenic lesions.

A fluoroquinolone antibiotic with a methoxy group at the 8 position yields reduced generation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine after ultraviolet-A irradiation

We have previously reported that two fluoroquinolone antibiotics gave rise to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) in DNA of cells concurrently exposed to UV-A and that this correlated with clinical phototoxicity. To determine the structural basis for generation of oxidative damage, the ability of two synthetic fluoroquinolone candidate antibiotics, Bayer 12-8039 (12-8039) and Bayer Y3118 (Y3118), to give rise to 8-oxo-dG in cultured liver epithelial cells was compared. 12-8039 contains a methoxy group at the 8 position of the quinolone nucleus, whereas Y3118 contains a chlorine group at the same position. Y3118 produced dose-dependent increases in 8-oxo-dG formation in cultured cells after UVA irradiation, whereas the 8-OCH3-substituted 12-8039 produced no increase. Also, after exposure to 20 J/cm2 UVA, UV spectral scans of both compounds revealed that Y3118 underwent photodegradation whereas 12-8039 was stable. These results demonstrate that the presence of an 8-OCH3 group on the quinolone nucleus is important for the reduction of photogeneration of oxidative DNA damage and photodegradation in the presence of UVA irradiation. From this, we suggest that 12-8039 has little phototoxic potential.