Inhibition of Cellular DNA Synthesis and Lack of Antileukemic Activity by Non-Photoactivated Hematoporphyrin Derivative

Mechanisms of tumor necrosis induced by photodynamic therapy

Despite great progress and promising results achieved in cancer treatment by photodynamic therapy (PDT), the exact mechanism of tumor photosensitization in vivo by porphyrins and related phototherapeutic agents has not been fully explored and understood. This review is an attempt to gather available data on various processes occurring in neoplastic cells, microvasculature, non-vascular stroma and circulating blood within PDT-treated tumors. This information is necessary to understand the mechanisms governing the very complex processes which eventually lead to tumor necrosis.

Cytocidal effects of hematoporphyrin derivative and argon dye laser on human gynecologic tumor cells in vitro

Antitumor effects of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) plus argon dye laser were examined using various human gynecologic tumor cells in vitro. Irradiation alone with argon dye laser showed no effect on the DNA synthesis of cells. Treatment of the cells with HpD inhibited the DNA synthesis depending on the concentration and the exposure time. Photoradiation by argon dye laser following treatment of the cells with HpD 40 micrograms/ml for 2 h killed more than 80% of cells when the cells were irradiated for more than 3 min. Prominent degenerative changes of the cytoplasm and the nucleus appeared within 1 h after photoradiation. These changes were confirmed by morphology and DNA histogram. There were no differences of sensitivity to photoradiation among the three histologically different kinds of cells lines used.

Considerations in the design of possible cell cycle effective drugs

Antineoplastic agents are known to induce differential cytotoxic and cytostatic effects throughout the cell cycle. Many drugs have greater toxicity for cycling cells and act selectively at one or more phases of the cycle and may cause partial synchrony of surviving cells. However, these observations have been generally carried out on in vitro systems only and present a variety of complexities and pitfalls. Furthermore, human tumours are often characterized by a relatively low fraction of proliferating cells and present a large cellular heterogeneity as far as their cytogenetic, cytokinetic, and clonogenic features and their responses to drugs are concerned. Therefore, resistance to chemotherapy is due to various factors characterizing, in some instances, each individual tumour. In spite of the advent of technological advances such as flow cytometry, it is still difficult to design kinetic-orientated therapies especially for the treatment of solid tumours. Consequently, it is also difficult to design protocols based on cell cycle effective drugs. The possibility remains, at least for the moment, to stratify tumours according to their cellular heterogeneity. Different protocols could then be assigned to classes of tumours. Such an approach could be completed by further advances in the cellular monitoring of individual tumours.

Hematoporphyrin derivative photoradiation therapy in murine solid tumors

The cytocidal activity of light-activated hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) in experimental and human tumors is under investigation in many laboratories. This activity is based upon preferential incorporation of Hpd in malignant tissues and its photosensibilization by red light. Treatment of mice bearing MS-2 fibrosarcoma and B16 melanoma, a metastastic tumor, with Hpd and laser light, externally or delivered through a quartz fiber optic imbedded directly into the tumor, significantly prolonged the median survival time. This therapy was compared with surgical excision of primary tumors, and preliminary results on metastatic neoplasm suggest that the photoradiation therapy is more effective than surgery.

In vitro hematoporphyrin (Hpd) inhibitory effects on some immunological assays

Hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) is a fluorescent dye that is preferentially incorporated by tissues with a high mitotic index, such as tumor cells and blast cells. A cytotoxic effect is produced following light activation. Previous studies have shown a long lasting reversible inhibition of DNA synthesis in Hpd-treated cells that failed to stimulate allogeneic lymphocytes in either primary or in secondary MLR. In this study we report Hpd inhibitory effects on some immunological assays in vitro. Treatment with Hpd of cytotoxic effector cells resulted in inhibition of their lytic activity likely dependent on the loss of binding to target cells. In the same way Hpd treatment inactivated the lytic activity of NK cells. In contrast Hpd-treatment of target cells did not modify the above immunological reactions. Moreover Con A agglutinability, antibody dependent capping as well as E-rosettes were inhibited following an Hpd treatment of relevant cells. Since normal susceptibility to humoral and cell mediated lysis was exhibited by Hpd-treated cells it is unlikely that cell surface molecules were damaged. An inhibitory effect exerted by an Hpd treatment on cell surface movements might explain these findings.