S. Firdous

Study of the efficacy of 5 ALA-mediated photodynamic therapy on human larynx squamous cell carcinoma (Hep2c) cell line

Abstract5-aminolevulanic acid (ALA), a precursor of Protoporphyrin IX, was evaluated as an inducer of photodamage on Hep2c, human larynx squamous cell carcinoma, cell line. Porphyrins are used as active cytotoxic antitumor agents in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The present study evaluates the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) using human larynx cells as experimental model. Hep2c cell line was irradiated with red light (a diode laser, λ = 635 nm). The influence of different incubation times and concentrations of 5-ALA, different irradiation doses and various combinations of photosensitizer and light doses on the cellular viability of Hep2c cells were studied. The optimal uptake of photosensitizer ALA in Hep-2c cells was investigated by means of spectrometric measurement. Cells viability was determined by means of neutral red assay (NR). It was observed that sensitizer or light doses have no significant effect on cells viability when studied independently. The spectrometric measurements showed that the maximal cellular uptake of 5-ALA occurred after 7 h in vitro incubation. The photocytotoxic assay showed that light dose of 85 J/cm2 gives effective PDT outcome for Hep2c cell line incubated with 55 μg/ml of 5-ALA with a conclusion that Hep2c cell line is sensitive to ALA-mediated PDT.

Optical Properties of Normal and Thermally Coagulated Chicken Liver Tissue Measured ex vivo with Diffuse Reflectance

The purpose of the present study is to determine the optical properties of normal and thermally coagulated chicken liver at 720, 740, 770, 810, 825 and 840 nm wavelengths of laser irradiation. So, we were able to evaluate these optical properties (absorption and scattering coefficients) with ex-vivo study using Kubelka Munk Model (KMM) from the radial dependence of the diffuse reflectance with femtosecond pulsed laser in near IR region. These coefficients were significantly increased with coagulation. The penetration depths of the diffused light have been reported to a maximum value of 8.12 ± 0.36 mm in normal liver and 2.49 ± 0.17 mm in coagulated liver at 840 nm showing increasing behavior towards IR region. The Monte Carlo simulation was used to check the theoretical validation of measured optical properties of the tissue that showed a good match with our experimental results. We believe that these differences in optical properties will be helpful for the understanding arid optimal use of laser applications in medicine and differential diagnosis of tissues by using different optical methods. Especially for the investigation of biological tissue for photodynamic therapy (PDT), the knowledge of the specific optical properties and their thermo-induced changes is important.

Photodynamic therapy of non-melanoma skin cancers

In this prospective study duly approved from Institutional Ethics Review Committee for research in medicine, PAEC General Hospital Islamabad, Pakistan, we investigate the efficacy, safety and tolerability along with cosmetic outcome of topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for superficial nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) and their precursors. Patients with Histological diagnosis of NMSCs and their precursors were assessed for PDT, after photographic documentation of the lesions and written consent, underwent two (2) sessions of PDT in one month (4 weeks) according to standard protocol. A freshly prepared 20% 5-ALA in Unguentum base was applied under occlusive dressing for 4–6 h as Drug Light Interval (DLI) and irradiated with light of 630 nm wavelength from a diode laser at standard dose of 90 J/cm2. Approximately 11% patients reported pain during treatment which was managed in different simple ways. In our study we regularly followed up the patients for gross as well as histopathological response and recurrence free periods during median follow-up of 24 months. Regarding Basal cell carcinomas complete response was observed in 86.2% (25/29), partial response in 10.3% (3/29) and recurrence during first year in 3.5% (1/29) lesions. All the lesions which showed partial response or recurrence were nBCCs. Regarding Actinic Keratosis complete response was observed in 95.3% (20/21), partial response in 4.7% (1/21) while Bowen’s disease showed 100% (2/2) results. 81.8% (9/11) Squamous Cell Carcinomas showed complete, 9% (1/11) partial response and 9% (1/11) presented with recurrence after 3 months. We observed excellent and good cosmetic results along with tumor clearance in our study. Treatment sessions were well tolerated with high level of patient’s satisfaction and only minor side effects of pain during treatment sessions and inflammatory changes post photodynamic therapy were observed. We concluded that 5-ALA PDT is an effective and safe emerging treatment modality for management of superficial non-melanoma skin cancers and their precursors with better cosmetic outcome and minor side effects.

Cytotoxic and photocytotoxic effect of Photofrin® on human laryngeal carcinoma (Hep2c) cell line

Significant apoptotic effect in Hep2c cell line has been investigated, when diode laser (λ = 635 nm, red) are used as a source of illumination and initiation of photodynamic action. The optimal uptake time of Photofrin® for Hep2c cell line was investigated by means of spectrophotometric measurement. Quantification of the live cell population was determined by means of neutral red assay (NRA). The spectrometry measurements showed that after 46 h incubation, the maximal cellular uptake of Photofrin® was achieved and photocytotoxic assay showed that light dose of 120 J/cm2 give effective PDT outcome for Hep2c cell line incubated with 85 μg/ml of Photofrin®. No significant phototoxic and cytotoxic effects on Hep2c cells were observed due to light doses or photosensitize, when studied independently of each other and Photofrin® showed good anti tumor effects.

Measurement of diabetic sugar concentration in human blood using Raman spectroscopy

This study demonstrates the use of Raman spectroscopy for the direct measurement of diabetic sugar in human blood using 532 nm laser system. Raman spectra were collected from whole blood drawn from 21 individuals. We have elicited a reliable glucose signature in diabetic patients, and measured glucose levels in blood serum of normal, healthy diabetic and diabetic patients with other malignancies like cancer and hepatitis. Quantitative predictions of glucose spectra illustrate the predictions based on molecular information carried by the Raman light in highly light-scattering and absorbing media. Raman spectrum peaks for diabetic blood serum are observed at 1168, 1531, 1463, 1021 cm−1 with intensity level 17000 to 18500 pixels attributed to carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, collagen, and skeletal C-C stretch of lipids acyl chains. Raman spectra for normal, diabetic patients having cancer and hepatitis were also recorded. This in vitro glucose monitoring methodology will lead in vivo noninvasive on-line monitoring having painless and at the same time the data will be displayed on-line and in real time. The measured Raman peaks provides detailed bio-chemical fingerprint of the sample and could confer diagnostic benefit in a clinical setting.

Optical properties measurement of highly diffusive tissue phantoms for biomedical applications

Extensive research in biomedical optics essentially requires the determination of optical properties of various biological tissues. Quantitative characterization of biological tissues in terms of optical properties is achieved with an integrating sphere. However, samples having significantly higher scattering and absorption coefficients such as malignant tissues potentially reduce the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the accuracy of an integrating sphere. We describe the design, implementation and characterization of a modified sample holder (path length of up to 1 mm) for an integration sphere. Experiments conducted with various phantoms reveal significant improvement of the SNR for a wide range of optical properties. The alternative approach opens up potential applications in the measurement of optical properties of highly diffusive biological samples. For 20% intralipid µa = 0.112 ± 0.046 cm−1 and µs = 392.299 ± 10.090 cm−1 at 632.8 nm. For 1.0% Indian ink µa = 9.808 ± 0.490 cm−1 and µs = 1.258 ± 0.063 cm−1 at the same wavelength. The system shows good repeatability and reproducibility within a 4.9% error.

The role of sensitivity of ALA (PpIX)-based PDT on Human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293T)

Present study evaluates the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) as photo sensitizer using Human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cell line as an experimental model. Porphyrins derivatives are used as active cytotoxic antitumor agents in PDT. Above mentioned cell line were irradiated with red light (a diode laser, λ = 635 nm) at different doses (0–160 J/cm2) of light. The influence/effectiveness of incubation time, various concentrations of aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and light doses on the cellular viability was studied. HEK293T cells were deliberated by exposing the ALA-PpIX (0–1000 μg/ml) of concentrations. The optimal uptakes of photosensitizer (PS) in cell lines were investigated by means of spectro photo metric measurements. Cells viability was determined by means of neutral red assay (NRA). It was observed that alone, neither photosensitizer nor light dose have significant effect on cells viability, but optimal concentration of PS along with suitable dose of light exhibit effective impact on the viability of cell. Our results showed that light doses of 40 J/cm2 demonstrates effective PDT outcome for HEK293T cell line when incubated with 400 μg/ml, with wrapping up view that HEK293T cell line is very sensitive to ALA-mediated PDT as compared to cell line published in our data. At the end results has been verified by using reactive oxygen species (ROS) measure test.

Optical parameters measurement for diagnostic and photodynamic therapy of human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cell line

The purpose of this study was to investigate the optical properties, absorption coefficient (μa) scattering coefficient (μs) and refractive indices, (n) of HeLa cell line in a suspension of 2% minimum essential medium (MEM) at two different (632.8 and 532.0 nm) wave lengths of laser light. Optical properties were determined with Kubelka Munk Model (KMM) and refractive index measurement was made through minimum angle of deviation method (MAD). We reported μa = 8.643 ± 0.187 and 2.348 ± 0.249 cm−1 and μs = 5.609 ± 0.287 and 88.166 ± 2.833 cm−1 at 632.8 and 532.0 nm, respectively. Refractive index was found to be 1.332 and 1.312 at 632.8 nm and 532.0 nm, respectively. The discussed results provide a route of information for clinical diagnosis, therapeutic application and dosimetry studies in HeLa and other cell lines.

Dengue blood analysis by Raman spectroscopy

In this work Raman spectra of normal and dengue infected serum and whole blood were analyzed. In normal whole blood and serum characteristic peaks were observed when excited at 442 and 532 nm. In dengue whole blood and serum all peaks found to be blue shifted with reduced Raman intensity. Dengue whole blood and serum shows two peaks at 1614 and 1750 cm−1 which are due to presence of Immunoglobulin antibodies IgG and IgM. Whole study provides a route of information for diagnosis of dengue viral infection.

The potential applications of ZnO nanoparticles conjugated with ALA and photofrin as a biomarker in HepG2 cells

Drug delivery into the malignant cell is a basic requirement for effectiveness of photosensitizing systems for photodynamic therapy (PDT). For anticancer tumoricidal drugs, e.g., 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are used as efficient intracellular photosensitizer carriers. Apoptotic effect of tumoricidal drugs (ALA and Photofrin cells in the presence and absence of ZnO NPs using confocal microscopy as well as Neutral Red Assay (NRA). In dark, ZnO NPs conjugated with ALA or Photofrinhas been found to have a remarkable fluorescence in Hepatucellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. This fact illustrates the great potential of ZnO NPs as biomarker in relevant clinical and biomedical applications.