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A novel 10B-enriched carboranyl-containing phthalocyanine as a radio- and photo-sensitising agent for boron neutron capture therapy and photodynamic therapy of tumours: in vitro and in vivo studies

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Abstract

The synthesis of a Zn(ii)-phthalocyanine derivative bearing four 10B-enriched o-carboranyl units (10B-ZnB4Pc) and its natural isotopic abundance analogue (ZnB4Pc) in the peripheral positions of the tetraazaisoindole macrocycle is presented. The photophysical properties of ZnB4Pc, as tested against model biological systems, were found to be similar with those typical of other photodynamically active porphyrin-type photosensitisers, including a singlet oxygen quantum yield of 0.67. The carboranyl-carrying phthalocyanine was efficiently accumulated by B16F1 melanotic melanoma cells in vitro, appeared to be partitioned in at least some subcellular organelles and, upon red light irradiation, induced extensive cell mortality. Moreover, ZnB4Pc, once i.v.-injected to C57BL/6 mice bearing a subcutaneously transplanted pigmented melanoma, photosensitised an important tumour response, provided that the irradiation at 600–700 nm was performed 3 h after the phthalocyanine administration, when appreciable concentrations of ZnB4Pc were still present in the serum. Analogously, irradiation of the 10B-ZnB4Pc-loaded pigmented melanoma with thermal neutrons 24 h after injection led to a 4 day delay in tumour growth as compared with control untreated mice. These results open the possibility to use one chemical compound as both a photosensitising and a radiosensitising agent for the treatment of tumours by the combined application of photodynamic therapy and boron neutron capture therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58B, 35121, Padova, Italy

    Elisabetta Friso, Francesca Giuntini, Lara Borsetto & Giulio Jori

  2. Molteni Farmaceutici, Florence, Italy

    Gabrio Roncucci, Donata Dei, Marina Soncin, Clara Fabris & Giacomo Chiti

  3. Laboratori di Legnaro, National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Italy

    Paolo Colautti, Juan Esposito & Laura De Nardo

  4. Department of Physics, University of Padova, Italy

    Laura De Nardo

  5. University of Padova, Italy

    Carlo Riccardo Rossi & Donato Nitti

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  1. Elisabetta Friso
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Correspondence to Giulio Jori.

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Friso, E., Roncucci, G., Dei, D. et al. A novel 10B-enriched carboranyl-containing phthalocyanine as a radio- and photo-sensitising agent for boron neutron capture therapy and photodynamic therapy of tumours: in vitro and in vivo studies. Photochem Photobiol Sci 5, 39–50 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1039/b506364g

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