Foi determinado o mecanismo de fotooxidação de albumina de soro bovino (BSA), L-triptofano (Trp) e células vermelhas do sangue (RBC) por cloro (5,10,15,20-tetrafenilporfirinato) de índio(III) (InTPP). A velocidade de fotooxidação de Trp, BSA e RBC por InTPP foi diminuída na presença de NaN 3 . A presença de D 2 O aumentou a velocidade de fotooxidação de Trp e BSA e diminuiu a de RBC. Esta diminuição provavelmente está correlacionada com a redução da constante de associação entre InTPP e RBC na presença de D 2 O. Não foi observada variação significativa na fluorescência das biomoléculas ou sobre a porcentagem de hemólise quando supressores de radicais (ferricianeto, manitol e superóxido dismutase) foram usados. Experimentos usando espectroscopia de ressonância paramagnética (EPR) mostraram que somente o 1 O 2 foi gerado por InTPP. Foi proposto um modelo cinético para a fotooxidação de Trp e BSA. A concordância entre os resultados experimentais e este modelo corrobora a predominância do mecanismo via 1 O 2 na fotooxidação das biomoléculas pelo InTPP.The photooxidation mechanism of bovine serum albumin (BSA), L-tryptophan (Trp) and red blood cells (RBC) by chloro (5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato)indium(III) (InTPP) was investigated. The photooxidation rate of Trp, BSA and RBC by InTPP was decreased in the presence of NaN 3 . The presence of D 2 O increases the photooxidation rate of Trp and BSA and decreases that of RBC. This decrease is probably related to a reduction of the binding constant between InTPP and RBC in the presence of D 2 O. No significant change in biomolecule fluorescence or in the percent of hemolysis was observed when radical quenchers (ferricyanide, mannitol and dismutase superoxide) were used. Experiments using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) show that only 1 O 2 was generated by InTPP. A mechanistic model based on the preferential oxidation of Trp and BSA by singlet oxygen is proposed. The agreement between the experimental data and the kinetic model gives additional support to the predominance of a mechanism via 1 O 2 in biomolecule photooxidation by InTPP.Keywords: chloro(5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato)indium(III), photodynamic therapy, photooxidation mechanism, cancer, erythrocytes
IntroductionPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) is a two-step therapeutic modality in which the topical or systemic delivery of photosensitizing drugs is followed by irradiation with visible light, at doses that are not in themselves harmful. 1 For treatment of cancer the photosensitizer is retained preferentially by the tumor and when excited by irradiation generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that have a cytotoxic effect to the neoplasm. 2 These ROS can be generated by two mechanisms, known as type I and type II. 3,4 In type I the photosensitizer in the excited triplet state can interact directly with the substrate and/or solvent, through an electron transfer reaction or hydrogen transfer, generating radical ions or neutral radicals, which quickly react with oxygen molecules producing ROS such as supero...