Inorganic Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a well-established technique employed to treat aged macular degeneration and certain types of cancer, or to kill microbes by using a photoactivatable molecule (a photosensitizer, PS) combined with light of an appropriate wavelength and oxygen. Many PSs are used against cancer but none of them are highly specific. Moreover, most are hydrophobic, so are poorly soluble in aqueous media. To improve both the transportation of the compounds and the selectivity of the treatment, nanoparticles (NPs) have been designed. Thanks to their small size, these can accumulate in a tumor because of the well-known enhanced permeability effect. By changing the composition of the nanoparticles it is also possible to achieve other goals, such as (1) targeting receptors that are over-expressed on tumoral cells or neovessels, (2) making them able to absorb two photons (upconversion or biphoton), and (3) improving singlet oxygen generation by the surface plasmon resonance effect (gold nanoparticles). In this chapter we describe recent developments with inorganic NPs in the PDT domain. Pertinent examples selected from the literature are used to illustrate advances in the field. We do not consider either polymeric nanoparticles or quantum dots, as these are developed in other chapters.

Structure of epitopes recognized by the antibodies to alpha(181-192) peptides of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: extrapolation to the structure of acetylcholine-binding domain.

Using the alpha(181-192) peptides of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and Ala-substituted peptide analogues, amino acid residues critical for specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) binding were identified. By means of 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (2D-NMR) analysis followed by molecular modeling, it was found that mAb binding resulted in stabilization of the free alpha3(181-192) peptide flexible conformation yielding an extended structure with residues 6-11 of the peptide being in direct contact with the Ab. Since the Ab binds the native AChR as well, it is suggested that the corresponding fragment of AChR alpha3 subunit is exposed to solution and also appears in extended conformation.

Applicability of predictive models to the peptide mobility analysis by capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry.

The prediction of peptide mobility by capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry (MS) is studied in order to verify the validity of the semi-empirical models developed in classical CE. This work relies on the experimental determination of the electrophoretic mobilities of 68 peptides, different in charge and in size. The results indicate that the prediction is possible in CE-MS experiments, in spite of the restraints inherent in the coupling conditions. The best fit of experimental data was obtained with the Offord's model. The efficiency of the model was confirmed by the analysis of a peptide mixture in CE-MS.

Piv-Propsi

The pseudodipeptide, (S)-N-isopropyl [N-(pivaloyl)pyrrolidin-2-yl]methylaminooxyacetamide, C(15)H(29)N(3)O(3), adopts a global extended conformation with the hydroxylamine group in the g(+)/g(-) structure. The C-terminal amide NH interacts intramolecularly with the hydroxylamine O atom. Both NH bonds of each molecule are hydrogen bonded to the C-terminal amide carbonyl of a neighbouring molecule.

Non polymeric nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy applications: recent developments.

Photodynamic therapy has emerged as an alternative to chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer treatment. Nanoparticles have recently been proposed as effective carriers for photosensitizers. Depending on their chemical composition, these can be used for diagnosis and therapy due to the selective accumulation of the photosensitizer in cancer cells in vitro or in tumors in vivo. Multifunctional nanoplatforms combining several applications within the same nano-object emerge as potential important theranostic tools. This review, based on the chemical nature of the nanoparticles will discuss recent advances in the area of non polymeric nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy applications.

Photodynamic molecular beacons triggered by MMP-2 and MMP-9: influence of the distance between photosensitizer and quencher onto photophysical properties and enzymatic activation.

Angiogenesis is a key step in the tumoral progression process. It is characterized by an over-expression of a number of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). Among these MMPs, gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) are known to play a critical role in tumor angiogenesis and the growth of many cancers. Photodynamic Molecular Beacons (PMB) can be designed for cancer treatment by associating a chlorin-like photosensitizer and a black hole quencher linked by a gelatinase substrate peptide with the aim of silencing photosensitizer toxicity in non-targeted cells and restore its toxicity only in surrounding gelatinases. This article provides a report on the synthesis and photophysical and biochemical studies of new families of PMB, using tetraphenylchlorin and a black hole quencher as a donor-acceptor pair, and MMP specific sequence (H-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Ile-Ala-Gly-Gln-Lys-OH or H-Pro-Leu-Gly-Leu-OH) to keep them in close proximity. Different spacers were used to evaluate the influence of the distance between the photosensitizer and the quencher on the photophysical properties and enzymatic activation of the PMB. Time-resolved quenching experiments were performed and FRET energy transfer could be observed. Photosensitizers' triplet state band in transient absorption disappears in PMB. However, even if both MMP-2 and MMP-9 were found to efficiently cleave the peptide alone, no cleavage was observed for all PMB. Further studies would be required to assess the ability of the PMB constructs to retain the sensitivity of the peptide linker to be cleaved by matrix metalloproteinases.

Modulation of photosensitization processes for an improved targeted photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment modality involving the combination of light, a photosensitizer (PS) and molecular oxygen, which results in the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) is one of the most important of these ROS. Because the lifetime and diffusion of (1)O(2) is very limited, a controllable singlet oxygen generation with high selectivity and localization would lead to more efficient and reliable PDT. The lack of selective accumulation of the PS within tumour tissue is a major problem in PDT. Targeted PDT would offer the advantage to enhance photodynamic efficiency by directly targeting diseased cells or tissues. Many attempts have been made to either selectively deliver light to diseased tissues or increase the uptake of the photoactive compounds by the target cells. The review will survey the literature regarding the multi-level control of (1)O(2) production for PDT applications. The mechanisms of ROS formation are described. The different strategies leading to targeted formation of (1)O(2) are developed. Some active PDT agents have been based on energy transfer between PS by control of the aggregation/ disaggregation. The concept of molecular beacon based on quenching-dequenching upon protease cleavage is capable of precise control of (1)O(2) by responding to specific cancer-associated biomarkers.

The immunostimulatory peptide WKYMVm-NH activates bone marrow mouse neutrophils via multiple signal transduction pathways.

G-protein-coupled receptors play a major role in the activation of the innate immune system, such as polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Members of the formyl peptide receptor family recognize chemotactic peptides as well the amyloïd-beta peptide and fragments of the human immunodeficiency virus envelope and may thus be implicated in major pathologies. The peptide WKYMVm-NH2 probably activates the receptor FPRL1 and its mouse orthologues Fpr-rs1 and Fpr-rs2. We examined the stimulation of C57BL6 mouse neutrophils by WKYMVm-NH2 and the effects of several inhibitors for intracellular signalling pathways (wortmannin, LY 294002, staurosporin, H-89, U 73122, thapsigargin and SKF 96365). We show here that WKYMVm-NH2 is a powerful stimulator of primary and secondary granule exocytosis as well as superoxide production. The signalling pathway involves phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase C, phospholipase C and store-operated calcium influx. Studies with peptide antagonists suggest that WKYMVm-NH2 preferentially activates exocytosis via FPRL1 and not FPR, the major receptor for N-formylated peptides such as fMLF. However, the signalling pathways activated by WKYMVm-NH2 in mouse neutrophils are similar to those activated by fMLF in human neutrophils. Thus, the effect and the signalling pathways of the two agonists and their receptors are at least partially overlapping.

Production of antibodies to alpha(181-192) peptides of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor coupled to protein carriers in different orientations.

The antibodies to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha(181-192) synthetic peptides were elicited in rabbits and mice using the peptides conjugated to protein carriers in different orientations, either through C-terminal Cys (S-conjugates), or through amino groups (N-conjugates). S-conjugated peptides were less potent in eliciting peptide-specific antibodies compared to N-conjugates and this type of conjugation resulted in antibodies to the coupling reagent. However, the epitopes present in either S- or N-conjugated peptides appeared to be similar, indicating that amino acid residues, which form the epitope, were located in the middle part of the peptide and did not include both N- and C-terminal residues. Peptide conjugation to a protein carrier did not play a role in stabilizing the peptide conformation, but was necessary to concentrate the peptide epitopes on the carrier surface enabling bivalent antibody binding.

Two-dimensional 1H-NMR and CD structural analysis in a micellar medium of a bovine alphaS1-casein fragment having benzodiazepine-like properties.

The conformation of the benzodiazepine-like decapeptide, YLGYLEQLLR, corresponding to residues 91-100 of bovine alphaS1-casein, has been examined in SDS micelles using CD, two-dimensional 1H-NMR and restrained molecular-dynamics simulation. Evidence is presented that the decapeptide adopts a rigid structure in water/SDS micellar medium, but not in water or dimethylsulfoxide. The three-dimensional structure, consistent with the proton-proton distances obtained from the quantitative analysis of the two-dimensional NOEs, was generated by restrained energy minimization and molecular-dynamics simulation. In water/SDS micellar medium, YLGYLEQLLR adopts an amphipathic helicoid structure with distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces. The relative disposition of the tyrosine aromatic rings was compared with that of the aromatic rings in the benzodiazepines.