David Sánchez-García

Cationic Porphycenes as Potential Photosensitizers for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy

Structures of typical photosensitizers used in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy are based on porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and phenothiazinium salts, with cationic charges at physiological pH values. However, derivatives of the porphycene macrocycle (a structural isomer of porphyrin) have barely been investigated as antimicrobial agents. Therefore, we report the synthesis of the first tricationic water-soluble porphycene and its basic photochemical properties. We successfully tested it for in vitro photoinactivation of different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as a fungal species (Candida) in a drug-dose and light-dose dependent manner. We also used the cationic porphycene in vivo to treat an infection model comprising mouse third degree burns infected with a bioluminescent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain. There was a 2.6-log(10) reduction (p < 0.001) of the bacterial bioluminescence for the PDT-treated group after irradiation with 180 J·cm(-2) of red light.

Photophysical characterization of a cytidine–guanosine tethered phthalocyanine–fullerene dyad

A new non-covalent electron transfer model system, based on the use of cytidine-guanosine hydrogen bonding interactions, is described that incorporates a phthalocyanine photodonor and a C60 fullerene acceptor.

Synthesis, characterization, and photoinduced antibacterial activity of porphyrin-type photosensitizers conjugated to the antimicrobial peptide apidaecin 1b.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an emerging treatment for bacterial infections that is becoming increasingly more attractive because of its effectiveness against multi-antibiotic-resistant strains and unlikelihood of inducing bacterial resistance. Among the strategies to enhance the efficacy of PDT against Gram-negative bacteria, the binding to a cationic antimicrobial peptide offers the attractive prospect for improving both the water solubilty and the localization of the photoactive drug in bacteria. In this work we have compared a number of free and apidaecin-conjugated photosensitizers (PSs) differing in structure and charge. Our results indicate that the conjugation of per se ineffective highly hydrophobic PSs to a cationic peptide produces a photosensitizing agent effective against Gram-negative bacteria. Apidaecin cannot improve the phototoxic activity of cationic PSs, which mainly depends on a very high yield of singlet oxygen production in the surroundings of the bacterial outer membrane. Apidaecin-PS conjugates appear most promising for treatment protocols requiring repeated washing after sensitizer delivery.

A Bisfullerene–Bis(dipyrrinato)zinc Complex: Electronic Coupling and Charge Separation in an Easy‐to‐Assemble Synthetic System

Getting connected: The use of a bis(dipyrrinato)zinc(II)) linker allows the facile tethering of two C(60) subunits and gives rise to an electronically coupled system that allows effective charge separation following photoexcitation (see figure).

Temocene: the porphycene analogue of temoporfin (Foscan®)

Temocene, a porphycene analogue of temoporfin, has been synthesized. Compared to temoporfin, temocene is endowed with 2.5-fold larger absorption coefficients in the red part of the spectrum while keeping its excellent photophysical and singlet oxygen photosensitization ability. While its photodynamic activity towards HeLa cells is lower than that of temoporfin, its higher photostability, lower dark toxicity and mitochondrial localisation make temocene a promising candidate for photodynamic therapy applications.

Asymmetric porphycenes: synthesis and photophysical properties of 9-substituted 2,7,12,17-tetraphenylporphycenes

The effects of 9-substitution on the photophysical properties of tetraphenylporphycenes (TPPo) have been examined using an electron acceptor, an electron donor, and an electroneutral substituent as model compounds. Introduction of the acetoxy group enhances the fluorescence ability of the compound, with only a small reduction in the singlet oxygen quantum yield. The optical and photophysical properties of a nitro-porphycene are reported for the first time. The compound is emerald green, contrasting with the typical blue color of porphycenes. While this compound is much less fluorescent than unsubstituted TPPo, its singlet oxygen quantum yield is only slightly lower, almost identical to that of the 9-acetoxy compound (9-AcOTPPo). Finally, the electron-donor amino group is found to induce the greatest changes in the porphycene photophysics, decreasing strongly its fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields. With the exception of such electron donors, introduction of substituents at the 9 (meso) position of tetraphenylporphycenes is not detrimental to their photophysics and photosensitizing ability and thus can be exploited for targeted photodynamic therapy purposes.

Porphycenes and Related Isomers: Synthetic Aspects

Porphyrins, called the pigments of life, have been studied for decades. However, the first constitutional isomer of porphyrin, porphycene, was not synthesized until 1986. This milestone marked the beginning of a new era in the field of porphyrinoids and presented opportunities for the creation of an abundance of new pigments. The unique structural and electronic features of these compounds give rise to interesting physical and optical properties with applications in biomedicine and materials science. This review focuses on the synthetic methodologies available for the preparation of porphycenes (functionalized porphycenes, extended porphycenes, benzoporphycenes, naphthoporphycenes, and heteroanalogues) and the other known isomers, namely, corrphycene, hemiporphycene, and isoporphycene. Although the classical synthetic approaches are discussed, particular emphasis is placed on improvements to the known methodologies and recent advances in the field.

Synthesis of 2-arylamino substituted 5,6-dihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-7(8H)-ones from arylguanidines.

A practical protocol was developed for the synthesis of 2-arylamino substituted 4-amino-5,6-dihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-ones from α,β-unsaturated esters, malononitrile, and an aryl substituted guanidine via the corresponding 3-aryl-3,4,5,6- tetrahydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7(8H)-ones. Such compounds are formed upon treatment of 2-methoxy-6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carbonitriles with an aryl substituted guanidine in 1,4-dioxane and are converted to the desired 4-aminopyridopyrimidines with NaOMe/MeOH through a Dimroth rearrangement. The overall yields of this three-step protocol are, generally speaking, higher than the multicomponent reaction, previously developed by our group, between an α,β-unsaturated ester, malononitrile, and an aryl substituted guanidine.

Electron-transfer and acid-base properties of a two-electron oxidized form of quaterpyrrole that acts as both an electron donor and an acceptor.

Electron-transfer interconversion between the four-electron oxidized form of a quaterpyrrole (abbreviated as P4 for four pyrroles) and the two-electron oxidized form (P4H2) as well as between P4H2 and its fully reduced form (P4H4) bearing analogous substituents in the alpha- and beta-pyrrolic positions was studied by means of cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry combined with ESR and laser flash photolysis measurements. The two-electron oxidized form, P4H2, acts as both an electron donor and an electron acceptor. The radical cation (P4H2*+) and radical anion (P4H2*-) are both produced by photoinduced electron transfer from dimeric 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide to P4H2, whereas the cation radical form of the compound is also produced by electron-transfer oxidation of P4H2 with [Ru(bpy)3]3+. The ESR spectra of P4H2*+ and P4H2*- were recorded at low temperature and exhibit spin delocalization over all four pyrrole units. Thus, the two-electron oxidized form of the quaterpyrrole (P4H2) displays redox and electronic features analogous to those seen in the case of porphyrins and may be considered as a simple, open-chain model of this well-studied tetrapyrrolic macrocycle. The dynamics of deprotonation from P4H2*+ and disproportionation of P4H2 were examined by laser flash photolysis measurements of photoinduced electron-transfer oxidation and reduction of P4H2, respectively.

Modifications of Microvascular EC Surface Modulate Phototoxicity of a Porphycene anti-ICAM-1 Immunoconjugate; Therapeutic Implications

Inflammation and shear stress can upregulate expression of cellular adhesion molecules in endothelial cells (EC). The modified EC surface becomes a mediating interface between the circulating blood elements and the endothelium, and grants opportunity for immunotherapy. In photodynamic therapy (PDT), immunotargeting might overcome the lack of selectivity of currently used sensitizers. In this study, we hypothesized that differential ICAM-1 expression modulates the effects of a drug targeted to surface ICAM-1. A novel porphycene-anti-ICAM-1 conjugate was synthesized and applied to treat endothelial cells from macro and microvasculature. Results show that the conjugate induces phototoxicity in inflamed, but not in healthy, microvascular EC. Conversely, macrovascular EC exhibited phototoxicity regardless of their state. These findings have two major implications; the relevance of ICAM-1 as a modulator of drug effects in microvasculature, and the potential of the porphycene bioconjugate as a promising novel PDT agent.