Krystyna Urbanska

Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor α Activation Decreases Metastatic Potential of Melanoma Cells In vitro via Down-Regulation of Akt

Purpose: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) regulate lipid and glucose metabolism but their anticancer properties have been recently studied as well. We previously reported the antimetastatic activity of the PPARα ligand, fenofibrate, against melanoma tumors in vivo. Here we investigated possible molecular mechanisms of fenofibrate anti metastatic action. Experimental Design: Monolayer cultures of mouse (B16F10) and human (SkMell88) melanoma cell lines, soft agar assay, and cell migration assay were used in this study. In addition, we analyzed PPARα expression and its transcriptional activity in response to fenotibrate by using Western blots and liciferase-based reporter system. Results: Fenofibrate inhibited migration of B16F10 and SkMel188 cells in Transwell chambers and colony formation in soft agar. These effects were reversed by PPAR inhibitor, GW9662. Western blot analysis revealed time-dependent down-regulation of Akt and extracellular signal–regulated kinase l/2 phosphorylation in fenofibrate-treated cells. A B16F10 cell line stably expressing constitutively active Akt mutant was resistant to fenofibrate. In contrast, Akt gene silencing with siRNA mimicked the fenofibrate action and reduced the migratory ability of B16F1O cells. In addition, fenofibrate strongly sensitized BI6FIO cells to the proapoptotic drug staurosporine, further supporting the possibility that fenofibrate-induced down-regulation of Akt function contributes to fenofibrate-mediated inhibition of metastatic potential in this experimental model. Conclusions: Our results show that the PPAR-dependent antimetastatic activity of fenofibrate involves down-regulation of Akt phosphorylation and suggest that supplementation with this drug may improve the effectiveness of melanoma chemotherapy.

Mechanisms of Singlet‐Oxygen and Superoxide‐Ion Generation by Porphyrins and Bacteriochlorins and their Implications in Photodynamic Therapy

New halogenated and sulfonated bacteriochlorins and their analogous porphyrins are employed as photosensitizers of singlet oxygen and the superoxide ion. The mechanisms of energy and electron transfer are clarified and the rates are measured. The intermediacy of a charge-transfer (CT) complex is proved for bacteriochlorins, but excluded for porphyrins. The energies of the intermediates and the rates of their interconversions are measured, and are used to obtain the efficiencies of all the processes. The mechanism of formation of the hydroxyl radical in the presence of bacteriochlorins is proposed to involve a photocatalytic step. The usefulness of these photosensitizers in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer is assessed, and the following recommendations are given for the design of more effective PDT protocols employing such photosensitizers: 1) light doses should be given over a more extended period of time when the photosensitizers form CT complexes with molecular oxygen, and 2) Fe(2+) may improve the efficiency of such photosensitizers if co-located in the same cell organelle assisting with an in vivo Fenton reaction.

New Halogenated Water-Soluble Chlorin and Bacteriochlorin as Photostable PDT Sensitizers: Synthesis, Spectroscopy, Photophysics, and in vitro Photosensitizing Efficacy

Chlorin and bacteriochlorin derivatives of 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(2‐chloro‐5‐sulfophenyl)porphyrin have intense absorptions in the phototherapeutic window, high water solubility, high photostability, low fluorescence quantum yield, long triplet lifetimes, and high singlet oxygen quantum yields. Biological studies revealed their negligible dark cytotoxicity, yet significant photodynamic effect against A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma), MCF7 (human breast carcinoma) and SK‐MEL‐188 (human melanoma) cell lines upon red light irradiation (cutoff λ<600 nm) at low light doses. Time‐dependent cellular accumulation of the chlorinated sulfonated chlorin reached a plateau at 2 h, as previously observed for the related porphyrin. However, the optimal incubation time for the bacteriochlorin derivative was significantly longer (12 h). The spectroscopic, photophysical, and biological properties of the compounds are discussed in relevance to their PDT activity, leading to the conclusion that the bacteriochlorin derivative is a promising candidate for future in vivo experiments.

Synthesis, photophysical studies and anticancer activity of a new halogenated water-soluble porphyrin

A water‐soluble halogenated porphyrin, namely 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(2‐chloro‐3‐sulfophenyl)porphyrin (TCPPSO3H), was prepared and evaluated as sensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Photophysical properties of TCPPSO3H, such as high photostability, long triplet lifetime and high singlet oxygen quantum yield suggest high effectiveness of this class of halogenated porphyrins in PDT. TCPPSO3H is non‐toxic in the dark and causes a significant photodynamic effect examined against MCF7 (human breast carcinoma), SKMEL 188 (human melanoma) and S91(mouse melanoma) cell lines upon red light irradiation (cutoff < 600 nm) at low light doses. Time‐dependent cellular uptake of TCPPSO3H reached plateau at 120 min and was the highest for S91, 20% lower for MCF7 and 70% lower for SKMEL 188. Our results show that this halogenated water‐soluble porphyrin is an efficient photosensitizer and reveal the potential of this class of compounds as PDT agents.

Combined effects of singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radical in photodynamic therapy with photostable bacteriochlorins: evidence from intracellular fluorescence and increased photodynamic efficacy in vitro.

Sulfonamides of halogenated bacteriochlorins bearing Cl or F substituents in the ortho positions of the phenyl rings have adequate properties for photodynamic therapy, including strong absorption in the near-infrared (λ(max) ≈ 750 nm, ε ≈ 10(5) M(-1) cm(-1)), controlled photodecomposition, large cellular uptake, intracellular localization in the endoplasmic reticulum, low cytotoxicity, and high phototoxicity against A549 and S91 cells. The roles of type I and type II photochemical processes are assessed by singlet oxygen luminescence and intracellular hydroxyl radical detection. Phototoxicity of halogenated sulfonamide bacteriochlorins does not correlate with singlet oxygen quantum yields and must be mediated both by electron transfer (superoxide ion, hydroxyl radicals) and by energy transfer (singlet oxygen). The photodynamic efficacy is enhanced when cellular death is induced by both singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals.

Biodistribution and Photodynamic Efficacy of a Water‐Soluble, Stable, Halogenated Bacteriochlorin against Melanoma

The in vitro phototoxicity of a photostable, synthetic, water‐soluble, halogenated bacteriochlorin, 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(2‐chloro‐5‐sulfophenyl)bacteriochlorin (TCPBSO3H), toward mouse melanoma (S91) cells is ∼60‐fold higher than that of the analogous porphyrin, and is associated with very weak toxicity in the dark; 90 % of S91 cells were killed in response to a light dose of 0.26 J cm−2 in the presence of [TCPBSO3H]=5 μM. In vivo toxicity toward DBA mice is very low, even at doses of 20 mg kg−1. In vivo pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of TCPBSO3H were studied in DBA mice with S91 tumors; 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg kg−1, TCPBSO3H demonstrated preferential accumulation in S91 mouse melanoma, with tumor‐to‐normal tissue ratios of 3 and 5 for muscle and skin, respectively. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) performed under these conditions, with 90 mW cm−2 diode laser irradiation at λ 750 nm for 20 min (total light dose of 108 J cm−2), resulted in tumor regression. Tumor recurrence was observed only approximately two months after treatment, confirming the efficacy of this PDT against melanoma.

Photodynamic Therapy Efficacy Enhanced by Dynamics: The Role of Charge Transfer and Photostability in the Selection of Photosensitizers

Progress in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer should benefit from a rationale to predict the most efficient of a series of photosensitizers that strongly absorb light in the phototherapeutic window (650-800 nm) and efficiently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS = singlet oxygen and oxygen-centered radicals). We show that the ratios between the triplet photosensitizer-O2 interaction rate constant (kD) and the photosensitizer decomposition rate constant (kd), kD/kd, determine the relative photodynamic activities of photosensitizers against various cancer cells. The same efficacy trend is observed in vivo with DBA/2 mice bearing S91 melanoma tumors. The PDT efficacy intimately depends on the dynamics of photosensitizer-oxygen interactions: charge transfer to molecular oxygen with generation of both singlet oxygen and superoxide ion (high kD) must be tempered by photostability (low kd). These properties depend on the oxidation potential of the photosensitizer and are suitably combined in a new fluorinated sulfonamide bacteriochlorin, motivated by the rationale.

Photodynamic activity of platinum(IV) chloride surface-modified TiO2 irradiated with visible light.

The visible light-induced phototoxicity of titanium dioxide modified with platinum(IV) chloride complexes, [TiO2/PtCl4], was tested. In vitro experiments with the mouse melanoma cells (S-91) have demonstrated phototoxicity of the [TiO2/PtCl4] material. Detection of efficiently generated various reactive oxygen species (.OH, O2. -, H2O2, 1O2) and also reactive chlorine species has proven the photodynamic activity of the tested material, induced by visible light (lambda>455 nm). The cellular death (recognized as a necrosis) is a result of the cell membrane peroxidation.

Tissue Uptake Study and Photodynamic Therapy of Melanoma‐Bearing Mice with a Nontoxic, Effective Chlorin

Chlorins have intense red absorptions and high tumor affinities that make them interesting candidates for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. This paper reports cytotoxicity, phototoxicity, in vitro cellular uptake, and in vivo biodistribution and PDT efficacy of a synthetic chlorin derivative (TCPCSO3H) towards Cloudman melanoma cells (S91). No cytotoxic effects were observed in vitro at concentrations up to 20 μm, and no toxicity was observed in vivo in DBA mice with doses up to 2 mg kg−1. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of TCPCSO3H were evaluated in vivo in DBA mice bearing S91 tumors. TCPCSO3H demonstrated preferential accumulation in S91 mouse melanoma, with tumor‐to‐normal tissue ratios of 5 and 11 for muscle and skin, respectively, 24 h after intravenous injection of 2 mg kg−1. Photodynamic therapy performed under these conditions with 70 mW cm−2 diode laser irradiation at 655 nm for 25 min (total light dose=105 J cm−2) resulted in scab formation, followed by temporary or permanent (>60 days) tumor remission. According to the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the median survival time of the control group was 9 days, whereas that of the treated group was 38 days.

PPAR γ regulates MITF and β-catenin expression and promotes a differentiated phenotype in mouse melanoma S91

Melanoma represents one of the most rapidly metastasizing, hence deadly tumors due to its high proliferation rate and invasiveness, characteristics of undifferentiated embryonic tissues. Given the absence of effective therapy for metastatic melanoma, understanding more fully the molecular mechanisms underlying melanocyte differentiation may provide opportunities for novel therapeutic intervention. Here we show that in mouse melanoma S91 cells activation of the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ induces events resembling differentiation, such as growth arrest accompanied by apoptosis, spindle morphology and enhanced tyrosinase expression. These events are preceded by an initial transient increase in expression from the Microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor gene, (MITF) promoter, whereas exposure to a PPAR γ ligand‐ ciglitazone that exceeds 8 h, causes a gradual decrease of MITF, until by 48 h MITF expression is substantially reduced. Beta‐catenin, an MITF transcriptional activator, shows a similar pattern of decline during ciglitazone treatment, consistent with previous reports that activated PPAR γ inhibits the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway through induction of β‐catenin proteasomal degradation. We suggest that the PPAR γ‐mediated β‐catenin down‐regulation is likely to be responsible for changes in MITF levels. The data suggest that PPAR γ, besides its well‐established role in mesenchymal cell differentiation towards adipocytes, might regulate differentiation in the melanocytic lineage.