A. Yu. Rybkin

Photodynamic activity of a hybrid nanostructure based on a polycationic fullerene derivative and phthalocyanine dye photosens

229 As known, fullerenes are photoexcited to a triplet state in 100% quantum yield, which then is deacti vated to generate, depending on the polarity of a medium, either singlet oxygen О2 or superoxide radi cal anions and other active radicals [1]. Numerous studies have addressed the photodynamic effect of fullerene and their derivatives: the generation of active radicals upon photoexcitation is responsible for dam age of DNA, proteins, and membranes, as well as for the suppression of the reproduction of tumor cells, viruses, and bacteria [2]. However, the efficiency of the photodynamic action of fullerenes and the pros pects for their application in medicine are essentially limited by the weak absorption by fullerenes of visible light, especially in the range 650–800 nm, which is most suitable for photodynamic therapy. The photodynamic effect of fullerenes can be con siderably enhanced by creating hybrid nanostructures − О2 . (HNSs) via the formation of a fullerene complex with a dye that efficiently absorbs visible light [3]. In such a complex, the dye can efficiently absorb light and transfer excitation energy or electron to the fullerene. Further excitation transfer or electron transfer from the fullerene to molecular oxygen will generate active oxygen species. The creation of such an HNS based on fullerene and a dye can thereby significantly enhance the efficiency of photodynamic therapy.

Estimation of membrane activity of water-soluble polysubstituted fullerene derivatives by luminescence methods

Patterns of the interaction between water-soluble polysubstituted fullerene derivatives (PFDs) and the lipid bilayer of phosphatidylcholine liposomes were investigated by applying triplet and fluorescent probes. Objective quantitative criteria have been proposed for the evaluation of membranotropic action of chemical substances, notably, fullerene derivatives that quench fluorescent probes with different localizations within the membrane. Thus, the defined criteria are the rate constants for the quenching of the fluorescence of triplet probes and the equilibrium constants for PFD-probe complexes, which characterize their stability. The localization of PFDs in the membrane was determined by comparing rate constants for the quenching of eosin phosphorescence and equilibrium constants for PFD-chromophore complexes. In addition, the efficiency of the interaction of PFDs with various sites of the phospholipid membrane has been seen to depend on the charge of addends that are attached to the polysubstituted derivatives.

Photodynamic Activity of Hybrid Nanostructure on the Basis of Polycationic Fullerene Derivative and Xanthene Dye Eosine Y

It has been shown by the use of steady-state and time-resolved fluorimetry and kinetic phosphorescent spectroscopy that a polycationic fullerene derivative forms complexes with eosine Y in solution due to electrostatic interactions. It has been found that singlet excited states of eosine Y are effectively quenched due to either the excitation energy transfer or electron transfer from the dye to the fullerene core. This leads to a substantial increase in the photodynamic activity of the fullerene derivative and the dye in the structure of the complex when it is excited by light in the absorption band of the dye.

Synthesis, photophysical properties, and photochemical activity of the water-soluble dyad based on fullerene С 60 and chlorin e 6 derivatives

Chlorin e6 derivative and water-soluble dyad resulting from covalent bonding of polyanionic fullerene С60 derivative to chlorin e6 derivative were synthesized and studied for spectral properties and photochemical activity. A considerable change in the absorption spectra and pronounced fluorescence quenching for the chlorin moiety included in the dyad were identified. The singlet excited state of chlorin is quenched via electron transfer from the excited chlorin to the fullerene core. A comparison of the photochemical activities of the test compounds in aqueous solutions showed a tenfold increase in the photochemical activity of the chlorin–fullerene dyad compared with free chlorin per absorbed light quantum.

Spectral Properties and Photodynamic Activity of Complexes of Polycationic Derivative of Fullerene C60 with Xanthene Dye Fluorescein

Using spectrophotometry and stationary and kinetic fluorimetry, we have shown that xanthene dye fluorescein forms complexes with polycationic derivative of fullerene in aqueous solutions mainly due to electrostatic interactions. It is found that efficient quenching of singlet excited states of dye occurs in the structure of these complexes due to the transfer of excitation or electron from dye to fullerene. As a result, the photodynamic activity of the newly formed complex is much higher than that of fluorescein and fullerene derivative. This effect makes it possible to predict the formation of new-generation hybrid photodynamic preparations using dyes excited only into a singlet state; as a result, directed searches for these dyes are significantly facilitated.

Effect of lipophilicity of C60 fullerene derivatives on their ability to inhibit peroxide oxidation of lipids in aqueous medium

The aqueous solutions of C60 fullerene derivatives were studied by means of dynamic light scattering, their effect on the peroxide oxidation of lipids (POL) in aqueous solutions was investigated via chemiluminescence method. It was shown that the colloidal solubility in water, which defines the antioxidant activity of C60 fullerene derivatives during POL, is controlled by the chemical structure of the addend added to C60 fullerene. For the studied derivatives, the direct dependence of the efficiency of POL inhibition on the lipophilicity was established.

Luminescent techniques in investigation of the biological properties of fullerene-based hybrid nanostructures

It has been shown that amino acid derivatives of C60 fullerene (ADFs) are effective quenchers of phosphorescence of the triplet probes eosin and erythrosine. The rate constants of erythrosine phosphorescence quenching by ADFs in aqueous solutions and model membranes have been determined. Using the triplet probe technique, the ability of ADFs to be transported across the lipid bilayer into the inner space of liposomes have been revealed. By monitoring a change in the fluorescence intensity of a luminescent hybrid structure based on C60-proline and eosin, the distribution of the hybrid structure in animal organs was established. The stability of hybrid structures subjected to various chemical and biological impacts was studied by recording the fluorescence of a Gd@C82-based hybrid structure.

Application of SERS and SEF Spectroscopy for Detection of Water-Soluble Fullerene–Chlorin Dyads and Chlorin e6

Free fluorescence spectra in solution and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) spectra of chlorin e6 and water-soluble covalent fullerene–chlorin dyads have been studied. It has been demonstrated that chlorin e6 and covalent fullerene–chlorin dyads have similar characteristic SERS spectra. The fullerene–chlorin dyads show a pronounced SEF signal, while native chlorin e6 has no fluorescence on surface, which is consistent with the theory predicting an inverse dependence of the SEF intensity on the free fluorescence quantum yield. The concentration dependence of the SEF intensity is linear for the dyads in the range 0.1–2.0 μmol/L. These effects allow one to determine, with high sensitivity, the content of fullerene–chlorin dyads with a low quantum yield of free fluorescence in solutions, which opens wide opportunities for study of biological properties of fullerene–chlorin dyads and their applications in medicine.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering detection of water-soluble derivatives of fullerene C60 and their covalent conjugates with dyes in biological model systems

The potential of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the detection of water-soluble fullerene derivatives and their covalent conjugates with xanthene dyes was investigated in model biological liposome membranes and in the albumin protein structure. It was shown that in liposomes and in albumin, fullerene derivatives and their covalent conjugates with dyes show characteristic SERS spectra, which allows detection of water-soluble fullerene derivatives in phosphatidylcholine liposomes at the lipid/fullerene derivative ratio of 100 as well as fullerene–dye conjugates in liposomes and albumin.