Dual Role of Subphthalocyanine Dyes for Optical Imaging and Therapy of Cancer

This is the peer-reviewed version of the following article: van de Winckel, E., Mascaraque, M., Zamarrón, A., Juarranz de la Fuente, Á., Torres, T., & de la Escosura, A. (2018). Dual role of subphthalocyanine dyes for optical imaging and therapy of cancer. Advanced Functional Materials, 28(24), 1705938., which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201705938. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley-VCH Terms and Conditions for Self-ArchivingThe family of subphthalocyanine (SubPc) macrocycles represents an interesting class of nonplanar aromatic dyes with promising features for energy conversion and optoelectronics. The use of SubPcs in biomedical research is, on the contrary, clearly underexplored, despite their documented high fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields. Herein, for the first time it is shown that the interaction of these chromophores with light can also be useful for theranostic applications, which in the case of SubPcs comprise optical imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT). In particular, the article evaluates, through a complete in vitro study, the dual-role capacity of a novel series of SubPcs as fluorescent probes and PDT agents, where the macrocycle axial substitution determines their biological activity. The 2D and 3D imaging of various cancer cell lines (i.e., HeLa, SCC-13, and A431) has revealed, for example, different subcellular localization of the studied photosensitizers (PS), depending on the axial substituent they bear. These results also show excellent photocytotoxicities, which are affected by the PS localization. With the best dual-role PS, preliminary in vivo studies have demonstrated their therapeutic potential. Overall, the present paper sets the bases for an unprecedented biomedical use of these well-known optoelectronic materials.E.v.d.W. and M.M. contributed equally to this work. The research leading to these results has received funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Program FP7‐PEOPLE‐2012‐ITN under REA grant agreement No. GA 316975. AdlE holds a Ramón y Cajal contract from the Spanish Ministry of Economy (MINECO). This work was supported by EU (CosmoPHOS‐nano, FP7‐NMP‐2012‐6, 310337‐2; GLOBASOL, FP7‐ENERGY‐2012‐J, 309194‐2), the Spanish MINECO (CTQ‐2014‐52869‐P (TT) and CTQ‐2014‐53673‐P (AdlE)), CAM (FOTOCARBON, S2013/MIT‐2841), grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MINECO and Feder Funds (PI15/00974) and by S2010/BMD‐2359 from Comunidad de Madrid

Plasmonic hot-electron reactive oxygen species generation: fundamentals for Redox biology

For decades, the possibility to generate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in biological systems through the use of light was mainly restricted to the photodynamic effect: the photoexcitation of molecules which then engage in charge- or energy-transfer to molecular oxygen (O2) to initiate ROS production. However, the classical photodynamic approach presents drawbacks, like per se chemical reactivity of the photosensitizing agent or fast molecular photobleaching due to in situ ROS generation, to name a few. Recently, a new approach, which promises many advantages, has entered the scene: plasmon-driven hot-electron chemistry. The effect takes advantage of the photoexcitation of plasmonic resonances in metal nanoparticles to induce a new cohort of photochemical and redox reactions. These metal photo-transducers are considered chemically inert and can undergo billions of photoexcitation rounds without bleaching or suffering significant oxidative alterations. Also, their optimal absorption band can be shape- and size-tailored in order to match any of the near infrared (NIR) biological windows, where undesired absorption/scattering are minimal. In this mini review, the basic mechanisms and principal benefits of this light-driven approach to generate ROS will be discussed. Additionally, some significant experiments in vitro and in vivo will be presented, and tentative new avenues for further research will be advance

Resistencias del carcinoma basocelular a la terapia fotodinámica con metil-aminolevulinato

Introducción: la terapia fotodinámica (TFD) con metil-aminolevulinato (MAL), es uno de los tratamientos no invasivos más usados en el tratamiento del Carcinoma Basocelular (CBC). Sus principales ventajas son la alta tasa de respuestas completas, a los tres meses, del 91% y a los 5 años del 76% con un excelente resultado cosmético y una gran satisfacción por parte del paciente. Aunque las tasas de respuesta a la TFD son altas existen algunos CBCs que no responden adecuadamente. El estudio de las diferencias clínicas, histológicas y biológicas de los CBCs en su respuesta a la TFD nos ayudará a conocer mejor su mecanismo de acción, así como aumentar su eficacia y eficiencia permitiendo la selección de los pacientes.Material y métodos: estudio observacional con recopilación de datos de forma retrospectiva en el que se han utilizado lesiones de pacientes compatibles con CBC que fueron tratados con TFD con MAL en la Unidad de Dermatología del Hospital San Jorge de Huesca desde el 1 de Enero de 2006 al 31 de Diciembre de 2015. Hemos recogido variables demográficas (edad, sexo, localización del tumor, tamaño, fototipo, factores predisponentes), parámetros histológicos clásicos en aquellos que tenían biopsia previa y/o curetaje, siempre que hubiese material histológico suficiente, (espesor tumoral, estroma peritumoral, pérdida de empalizada periférica, pleomorfismo, ulceración, presencia del infiltrado linfocitario intratumoral, invasión perineural, así como la presencia de elastosis). A continuación, hemos realizado tinciones de P53, Ki-67, CD-31, COX2, EGFR, survivina y β-catenina. Posteriormente se ha evaluado la respuesta a TFD en las líneas celulares de cáncer de CBC de ratón, ASZ y células BSZ, ambas se aislaron de ratones heterocigotos para el gen Ptch+/- y las segundas carecen del gen P53.Resultados: se incluyeron en el estudio un total de 390 Carcinomas Basocelulares en 182 pacientes. La tasa de respuesta global fue de 82,8%, con un tiempo medio de seguimiento de 35,96 meses (DE=23,46), un mínimo de 3 meses y un máximo de 6 años. Las variables clínicas de los CBCs que se asocian con mala respuesta a la TFD con MAL son: la variante nodular, la localización en área H, edad más avanzada, los fototipos IV, V y VI de Fitzpatrick o los pacientes que han recibido un mayor número de sesiones. Se evaluó la histología de 63 casos de CBCs tratados con TFD con MAL, de estos 49 muestras pertenecían a CBCs respondedores y 14 a especímenes de CBCs no respondedores. En relación a las variables anatomo-patológicas, la presencia de infiltrado inflamatorio linfocítico peritumoral previo es un factor predictor de buena respuesta a la TFD con MAL. La inmunoreactividad positiva a P53 en CBC es un factor predictor de buena respuesta, por el contrario el patrón de tinción de β-catenina con refuerzo periférico de los islotes de células basaloides se asocia a resistencia del carcinoma basocelular a la TFD con MAL. La línea celular ASZ difiere de la línea celular BSZ en que expresa más P53 y al ser ambas líneas sometidas a tratamiento con TFD con MAL, la línea celular ASZ presenta una viabilidad menor que BSZ.Conclusiones: consideramos que hay evidencia suficiente para concluir que el subtipo histológico de CBC nodular frente a la variante superficial es un factor predictor de mala respuesta, sin embargo tener una edad inferior a 63 años, la inmunotinción positiva para P53 y la presencia de infiltrado inflamatorio linfocítico peritumoral son factores predictores de buena respuesta del CBC a la TFD con MAL.<br /

Selective Oxidative Dearomatization of Angular Tetracyclic Phenols by Controlled Irradiation under Air: Synthesis of an Angucyclinone-Type Double Peroxide with Anticancer Properties

Angular tetracyclic p-peroxyquinols, p-quinols and a pentacyclic double peroxide, showing anticancer properties, were Selective oxidative dearomatization of angular tetracyclic phenols by controlled irradiation under air: synthesis of an angucyclinone‐type double peroxide with anticancer properties María J. Cabrera-Afonso,a Silvia R. Lucena,b Ángeles Juarranz,b Antonio Urbano,*a,c M. Carmen Carreño*a,c aDepartamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. bDepartamento de Biología, UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. cInstitute for Advanced Research in Chemical Sciences (IAdChem), UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain. Supporting Information Placeholder synthesized from the corresponding phenols by an environmentally friendly solvent- and wavelength-controlled irradiation under air in the absence of an external photosensitizerWe thank MINECO (Grants CTQ2017-83309-P, CTQ2014-53894R and FIS PI15/00974) for financial suppor

Ras-transfected human mammary tumour cells are resistant to photodynamic therapy by mechanisms related to cell adhesion

Aims: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality for several cancers involving the administration of a tumour-localising photosensitiser (PS) and its subsequent activation by light, resulting in tumour damage. Ras oncogenes have been strongly associated with chemo- and radio-resistance. Based on the described roles of adhesion and cell morphology on drug resistance, we studied if the differences in shape, cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell adhesion induced by Ras transfection, play a role in the resistance to PDT. Materials and methods: We employed the human normal breast HB4a cells transfected with H-RAS and a panel of five PSs. Key findings: We found that resistance to PDT of the HB4a-Ras cells employing all the PSs, increased between 1.3 and 2.5-fold as compared to the parental cells. There was no correlation between resistance and intracellular PS levels or PS intracellular localisation. Even when Ras-transfected cells present lower adherence to the ECM proteins, this does not make them more sensitive to PDT or chemotherapy. On the contrary, a marked gain of resistance to PDT was observed in floating cells as compared to adhesive cells, accounting for the higher ability conferred by Ras to survive in conditions of decreased cell-extracellular matrix interactions. HB4a-Ras cells displayed disorganisation of actin fibres, mislocalised E-cadherin and vinculin and lower expression of E-cadherin and β1-integrin as compared to HB4a cells. Significance: Knowledge of the mechanisms of resistance to photodamage in Ras-overexpressing cells may lead to the optimization of the combination of PDT with other treatmentsAC thanks to ANPCyT (Argentina) PICT 2014-0727 and CONICET (Argentina) PIP 2014 number 11220130100237CO. Lorena Rodriguez acknowledges CONICET fellowships, Bunge & Born Foundation Argentina and Jorge Oster, Argentina, for financial support. FS and AC acknowledge Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y Cooperación and Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (A/ 015883/08), Spain, for financial support. MAR is supported through a Junior Faculty Scholar Award from the American Society of Hematolog

Metformin overcomes metabolic reprogramming-induced resistance of skin squamous cell carcinoma to photodynamic therapy

Cancer metabolic reprogramming promotes resistance to therapies. In this study, we addressed the role of the Warburg effect in the resistance to photodynamic therapy (PDT) in skin squamous cell carcinoma (sSCC). Furthermore, we assessed the effect of metformin treatment, an antidiabetic type II drug that modulates metabolism, as adjuvant to PDT. Methods: For that, we have used two human SCC cell lines: SCC13 and A431, called parental (P) and from these cell lines we have generated the corresponding PDT resistant cells (10GT). Results: Here, we show that 10GT cells induced metabolic reprogramming to an enhanced aerobic glycolysis and reduced activity of oxidative phosphorylation, which could influence the response to PDT. This result was also confirmed in P and 10GT SCC13 tumors developed in mice. The treatment with metformin caused a reduction in aerobic glycolysis and an increase in oxidative phosphorylation in 10GT sSCC cells. Finally, the combination of metformin with PDT improved the cytotoxic effects on P and 10GT cells. The combined treatment induced an increase in the protoporphyrin IX production, in the reactive oxygen species generation and in the AMPK expression and produced the inhibition of AKT/mTOR pathway. The greater efficacy of combined treatments was also seen in vivo, in xenografts of P and 10GT SCC13 cells. Conclusions: Altogether, our results reveal that PDT resistance implies, at least partially, a metabolic reprogramming towards aerobic glycolysis that is prevented by metformin treatment. Therefore, metformin may constitute an excellent adjuvant for PDT in sSCCThis research was supported by Spanish grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III MINECO and Feder Funds (FIS PI15/00974; PI18/00858 and PI18/00708) and Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2019-108674RB-100

Potent virucidal activity in vitro of photodynamic therapy with Hpericum extract as photosensitizer and white light against human coronavirus HCoV-229E

The emergent human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its high infectivity rate has highlighted the strong need for new virucidal treatments. In this sense, the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with white light, to take advantage of the sunlight, is a potent strategy for decreasing the virulence and pathogenicity of the virus. Here, we report the virucidal effect of PDT based on Hypericum extract (HE) in combination with white light, which exhibits an inhibitory activity of the human coronavirus HCoV-229E on hepatocarcinoma Huh-7 cells. Moreover, despite continuous exposure to white light, HE has long durability, being able to maintain the prevention of viral infection. Given its potent in vitro virucidal capacity, we propose HE in combination with white light as a promising candidate to fight against SARS-CoV-2 as a virucidal compoundThis research was funded by Fundación Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, grant number PI21/00315 and by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, grant number PI21/00953. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicabl

Characterisation of resistance mechanisms developed by basal cell carcinoma cells in response to repeated cycles of photodynamic therapy

photodynamic therapy (pDt) with methyl-aminolevulinate acid (MAL-pDt) is being used for the treatment of Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), but recurrences have been reported. In this work, we have evaluated resistance mechanisms to MAL-pDt developed by three BCC cell lines (AsZ, BsZ and CsZ), derived from mice on a ptch+/− background and with or without p53 expression, subjected to 10 cycles of PDT (10thG). the resistant populations showed mesenchymal-like structure and diminished proliferative capacity and size compared to the parental (p) cells. the resistance was dependent on the production of the endogenous photosensitiser protoporphyrin IX in the CsZ cell line and on its cellular localisation in AsZ and BsZ cells. Moreover, resistant cells expressing the p53 gene presented lower proliferation rate and increased expression levels of N-cadherin and Gsk3β (a component of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway) than P cells. In contrast, 10thG cells lacking the p53 gene showed lower levels of expression of Gsk3β in the cytoplasm and of e-cadherin and β-catenin in the membrane. In addition, resistant cells presented higher tumorigenic ability in immunosuppressed mice. Altogether, these results shed light on resistance mechanisms of BCC to pDt and may help to improve the use of this therapeutic approac

Cellular intrinsic factors involved in the resistance of squamous cell carcinoma to photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely used to treat non-melanoma skin cancer. However, some patients affected with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) do not respond adequately to PDT with methyl-δ-aminolevulinic acid (MAL-PDT) and the tumors acquire an infiltrative phenotype and became histologically more aggressive, less differentiated, and more fibroblastic. To search for potential factors implicated in SCC resistance to PDT, we have used the SCC-13 cell line (parental) and resistant SCC-13 cells obtained by repeated MAL-PDT treatments (5th and 10th PDT-resistant generations). Xenografts assays in immunodeficient mice showed that the tumors generated by resistant cells were bigger than those induced by parental cells. Comparative genomic hybridization array (aCGH) showed that the three cell types presented amplicons in 3p12.1 CADM2, 7p11.2 EFGR, and 11q13.3 CCND1 genes. The 5th and 10th PDT-resistant cells showed an amplicon in 5q11.2 MAP3K1, which was not present in parental cells. The changes detected by aCGH on CCND1, EFGR, and MAP3K1 were confirmed in extracts of SCC-13 cells by reverse-transcriptase PCR and by western blot, and by immunohistochemistry in human biopsies from persistent tumors after MAL-PDT. Our data suggest that genomic imbalances related to CCND1, EFGR, and particularly MAP3K1 seem to be involved in the development of the resistance of SCC to PDT. © 2014 The Society for Investigative DermatologyThe work was supported by MINECO (FIS PI12/01253), and Comunidad de Madrid (S2010/BMD-2359). We recognize the valuable contributions of Javier Suela and Juan Cruz Cigudos