Edith Antunes

Pyrroloiminoquinone and related metabolites from marine sponges

This review presents the structure, biological activity, biosynthetic studies and, where applicable, references to syntheses of 81 marine alkaloids containing either tetra-, hexa- or octa-hydrogenated variants of pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline, pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinoline and pyrido[2,3-h]pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline core skeletons. The literature describing the isolation of pyrroloiminoquinones, and related metabolites, from marine sponges is littered with taxonomic inconsistencies and recent efforts to clarify the taxonomy of the sponges that produce this group of metabolites are discussed.

Synthesis of phthalocyanine conjugates with gold nanoparticles and liposomes for photodynamic therapy

The efficiency of [2,9,17,23-tetrakis-(1,6-hexanedithiol)phthalocyaninato]zinc(II) as a photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent was investigated. This compound belongs to the second generation of photosensitizers currently tested for the cellular photo-damage of cancer cells. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phototoxicity of the photosensitizer were assessed. Healthy fibroblast cells and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells were treated with either free phthalocyanine or phthalocyanine bound to either gold nanoparticles or encapsulated in liposomes. Cell viability studies showed the optimum phototoxic effect on non-malignant cells to be 4.5 J cm(-2). The PDT effect of the liposome bound phthalocyanine showed extensive damage of the breast cancer cells. Gold nanoparticles only showed a modest improvement in PDT activity.

The identification of the UV degradants of melatonin and their ability to scavenge free radicals

Ultraviolet (UV) light is known to induce the generation of free radicals in biological tissues such as skin. Of these free radicals, the O2–· and particularly the ·OH radical can induce cellular damage including lipid peroxidation. Thus, the use of antioxidants to prevent such damage induced by UV irradiation has received much attention recently. One such antioxidant, which has the potential to be incorporated into sunscreens, is the pineal secretory product melatonin. One of the concerns of using melatonin in sunscreens is its photostability. In the present study, we investigated the photostability of melatonin subjected to UV irradiation. In addition, we used liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) to identify the degradants and we also assessed the ability of the degradants to inhibit O2–· generation as well as lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate. The results show that UV irradiation of melatonin (0.1 mg/mL) using a 400‐W lamp for 2 hr caused a significant decline of melatonin to 18% of its original concentration after 20 min, with the decline continuing until the melatonin concentration reaches zero at 120 min. The LC‐MS results show that the degradants of melatonin are 6‐hydroxymelatonin and N1‐acetyl‐N2‐formyl‐5‐methoxykynurenamine (AFMK). These degradants were able to provide equipotent activity against potassium cyanide (KCN)‐induced superoxide generation compared to non‐irradiated melatonin. Thus, the study shows that although melatonin is rapidly degraded by UV irradiation, the degradants retain antioxidant activity, making melatonin a likely candidate for inclusion in sunscreens.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHOTOPHYSICAL PARAMETERS OF ZINC OCTACARBOXY PHTHALOCYANINE UPON CONJUGATION TO MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) comprising magnetite (Fe3O4) were functionalized with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane forming amino functionalized magnetite nanoparticles (AMNPs). The amino group allows for conjugation with zinc octacarboxyphthalocyanine (ZnOCPc) via the carboxyl group to form an amide bond. Transmission electron microscopy showed a change in morphology after conjugation. The covalent linkage of AMNPs to ZnOCPc has shown improvements in the photophysical behavior of the Pc in the presence of the MNP, increasing the triplet quantum yield (ΦT), singlet oxygen quantum yield (ΦΔ), triplet lifetime (τT) and singlet oxygen lifetime (τΔ) of the ZnOCPc and thus improving the efficiency of the ZnOCPc as a photosensitizer.

Water-soluble phthalocyanines mediated photodynamic effect on mesothelioma cells

The new peripherally 2-mercaptopyridine tetrasubstituted zinc phthalocyanine (2) and its quaternized derivative (3) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy and mass spectra. The quaternized compound (3) shows excellent solubility in water, which makes it a potential photosensitizer for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. Fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yield measurements were conducted on 2-mercaptopyridine appended zinc phthalocyanines in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) for both the non-ionic (2) and quaternized (3) derivatives, and in aqueous media for the water-soluble complex 3. General trends are described for fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields of these compounds. In this study, the cells were incubated with a novel water-soluble zinc phthalocyanine derivative (3) and thereafter the cells were illuminated using broad-band incoherent light source of various energy levels. Cytotoxicity of PDT on two pleural malign mesothelioma cell lines was determined by colorimetric proliferation assay. In addition, after PDT treatment, determination of activity matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were evaluated using gelatine zymography.

Microwave synthesis and photophysics of new tetrasulfonated tin(II) macrocycles

This work reports on the microwave synthesis of tetrasulfonated tin phthalocyanine and tetrasulfonated tin α,β,γ-tetrabenzcorrole. The latter was only formed at low ratios (<1:8) of 4-sulfophthalic acid to urea. Both complexes are aggregated in aqueous media, but can be partly or fully disaggregated by the addition of Triton X-100. The α,β,γ-tetrabenzcorrole complex has lower triplet life times and yields, while the binding constant and quenching (of bovine serum albumin) constant are lower for α,β,γ-tetrabenzcorrole compared to tetrasulfonated tin phthalocyanine.

Identification and in vitro anti-esophageal cancer activity of a series of halogenated monoterpenes isolated from the South African seaweeds Plocamium suhrii and Plocamium cornutum

Five known (1, 2, 4, 6 and 7) halogenated monoterpenes together with 1Z,3R∗,4S∗,5E,7Z)-1-bromo-3,4,8-trichloro-7-(dichloromethyl)-3-methylocta-1,5,7-triene (3) and (3R∗,4S∗)-3,4,6,7-tetrachloro-3,7-dimethyl-octen-1-ene (5) were isolated from the red macroalga Plocamium suhrii and their structures deduced from their spectroscopic data. The seven compounds from P. suhrii together with five related compounds from Plocamium cornutum have been evaluated for their cytotoxic effects on an esophageal cancer cell line (WHCO1). Compounds 1-6 showed greater cytotoxicity in this assay as compared to the known anticancer drug cisplatin.

Nonlinear optical behavior of metal octaphenoxy phthalocyanines: effect of distortion caused by the central metal

In this work, we investigated the nonlinear optical absorption properties of chloroaluminum, chlorogallium, chloroindium, zinc and lead octaphenoxy phthalocyanines in a dimethyl sulphoxide solution using 5 ns pulses at 532 nm. Using the Z-scan technique, the nonlinear optical properties and the excited state absorption cross-sections were determined by fitting the Z-scan data. The k value was the highest for Pb derivative at 211, making it the best nonlinear optical material. In terms of hyperpolarizability, Pb derivative (containing a larger central metal) also gave the largest value followed by aluminum derivative (containing a small central metal). The distortion of the ring caused by the central metal is used to explain the hyperpolarizability values. Large nonlinear absorption coefficient values, βeff, in the range of 3.558–4.763 × 10-9 cm.W-1 and low saturation fluence values, Fsat between 21.5–38.5 mJ.cm-2, were obtained for these samples.

6-Hydroxymelatonin protects against quinolinic-acid-induced oxidative neurotoxicity in the rat hippocampus

Melatonin, a naturally occuring chemical mediator, although assigned a diverse range of functions, has attracted interest because of its ability to function as a free radical scavenger. Its major hepatic metabolite and photoproduct, 6‐hydroxymelatonin (6‐OHM), also shares this property. Since singlet oxygen and quinolinic acid (QUIN) are critically involved in the pathology of neurotoxicity, the objective of this study was to investigate the ability of 6‐OHM to scavenge singlet oxygen and evaluate its ability to scavenge superoxide anions and reduce QUIN‐induced neurotoxicity in the hippocampus in‐vivo. The results show that 6‐OHM is an efficient inhibitor of singlet oxygen formation as indicated by the rate constants and quantum yields reported for 6‐OHM and zinc phthalo‐cyanine (ZnPc), respectively. 6‐OHM, appears to reduce QUIN‐induced superoxide anion generation in the hippocampus, which provides some evidence of the neuroprotective effects of 6‐OHM.

Probing electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of cobalt(II) and manganese(III) octakis(hexylthio)phthalocyanine as self-assembled monolayers

New peripherally (β) and non-peripherally (α) substituted metal octakis(hexylthio)phthalocyanines (β- and α-MOcHexTPc) containing cobalt and manganese as metal centers were synthesized. Their characterization using electrochemical methods showed that these complexes exhibit several redox processes at E1/2 (mV vs. Ag∣AgCl) = 380 (212) (I), 1140 (864) (II), -450 (-460) (III) and -1170 (-1304) (IV) for β- (α-) CoOcHexTPc. These redox processes were assigned to CoIIIPc-2/CoIIPc-2 (I), CoIIIPc-1/CoIIIPc-2 (II), CoIIPc-2/CoIPc-2 (III) and CoIPc-2/CoIPc-3 (IV) using spectroelectrochemistry. For the β- (α-) MnOcHexTPc complex the redox processes were observed at E1/2 (mV vs. Ag∣AgCl) = -20 (5) (I), -530 (-640) (II) and -1270 (-1380) (III) and were assigned to MnIIIPc-2/MnIIPc-2 (I), MnIIPc-2/MnIIPc-3 (II) and MnIIPc-3/MnIIPc-4 (III). Electrochemical and microscopic characterization using AFM showed that the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are formed on the gold surface using these complexes. The electrochemical characterization showed the blocking of the Faradaic processes at SAMs modified electrodes and these reactions are well-known to easily occur at unmodified gold electrodes. The AFM characterization showed an increase in surface roughness upon modifying the gold surface with MOcHexTPc SAMs, further confirming the presence of the monolayers on the gold surface. The MOcHexTPc SAMs were investigated for their electrocatalytic application towards H2O2 detection. The MOcHexTPc SAMs modified gold electrodes gave excellent currents for H2O2 detection. The observed H2O2 electrocatalytic reduction peaks were close to where the metal redox processes from the MOcHexTPc occurred, showing the involvement of the metal redox processes in the electrocatalytic mediation reactions.