Photodynamic therapy with hypericin induces vascular damage and apoptosis in the RIF-1 mouse tumor model

Hypericin, a polycyclic quinone obtained from plants of the genus Hypericum, has been proven to be a potent photosensitizer. The mechanism of tumor eradication and mode of cell death induced by in vivo photodynamic therapy (PDT) with hypericin were investigated in the present study using 2 therapeutic protocols. RIF-1 tumors were exposed to laser light at either 0.5 hr or 6 hr after hypericin administration (5 mg/kg, i.v.). A significant reduction in tumor perfusion, as determined by the retention of fluorescein in the tumor tissue, was detected immediately after both PDT treatments. Further decrease in tumor perfusion was observed in the hours after treatment. The re-establishment of tumor perfusion, however, occurred 24 hr after 6 hr-interval PDT, but not after 0.5 hr-interval PDT. The kinetics of tumor cell survival estimated by the in vivo/in vitro clonogenic assay revealed no or limited cell death when tumors were explanted immediately after irradiation, whereas a delayed but progressive cell death was detected when tumors remained in situ after both PDT treatments. The detection of nucleosomal DNA fragmentation by agarose gel electrophoresis or TUNEL assay and the assessment of cell morphology by light microscopy indicated that apoptosis was the most prominent tumor response to hypericin-mediated PDT. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor tissue showed an increased expression of both Fas and Fas ligand after irradiation, suggesting that this cell death pathway might contribute to the overall PDT-induced apoptotic response. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that apoptosis, likely occurring as a result of vascular damage, is responsible for the tumor eradication by PDT with hypericin in this tumor model.     

Photodynamic therapy using an anti-EGF receptor antibody complexed with verteporfin nanoparticles: a proof of concept study

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive optical treatment method in which the topical or systemic delivery of photosensitizing drugs is followed by irradiation with broadband red light. Coupling photosensitizers with a specific antibody may allow this approach to target specific cancers. This study determines the antitumor efficacy of coupling verteporfin (Visudyne(?)), a hydrophobic polyporphryin oligomer, with an antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) antibody. Poly[2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-co-n-butyl methacrylate-co-p-nitrophenylcarbonyloxyethyl methacrylate] (PMBN) was conjugated with an anti-EGFR antibody and mixed with verteporfin (verteporfin-PMBN-antibody complex). Tumor-bearing mice were intravenously injected with the verteporfin-PMBN-antibody complex or verteporfin plus PMBN without the antibody. Irradiation was conducted at 640?nm with a dose of 75?J/cm(2). The fluorescence intensity in A431 cells in vitro was threefold higher after exposure to verteporfin-PMBN-antibody complex than after exposure to verteporfin-PMBN. In A431 tumor-bearing mice, the intratumor concentration of verteporfin was 9.4 times higher than that of the skin, following administration of the verteporfin-PMBN-antibody complex. Tumor size significantly decreased within 8 days in mice treated with verteporfin-PMBN-antibody complex compared with those treated with verteporfin-PMBN. PDT using a PMBN-verteporfin-antibody complex offers a promising anticancer therapy.     

Response of radiation-induced fibrosarcoma-1 in mice to cyclophosphamide monitored by in vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

In vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to examine the RIF-1 fibrosarcoma in mice during untreated growth and following chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide. Levels of inorganic phosphate increase relative to phosphocreatine or nucleoside triphosphates during early untreated growth. After the tumor reaches a volume of approximately 1 g, no further decrease in energy level is observed. Following treatment with cyclophosphamide, tumor phosphorus metabolite ratios and pH are significantly altered, compared to untreated age-matched controls. During the growth delay period following chemotherapy there is a significant reduction in the ratio of inorganic phosphate to other phosphate metabolites, compared to age-matched controls. In addition, a more alkaline pH is observed in the tumors of treated animals. When the growth delay period ends, nuclear magnetic resonance spectra return to pretreatment patterns. The magnitude of the differences in 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectral parameters between treated animals and untreated controls is dose dependent. However, doses of cyclophosphamide above 200 mg/kg do not result in earlier spectroscopic alterations, nor in larger effects by Day 3 after treatment, even though clonogenic cell killing and growth delay are greater at these higher doses.     

Selectively enhanced radiation sensitivity in prostate cancer cells associated with proteasome inhibition

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of MG-132, a broad spectrum proteasome inhibitor, to selectively enhance radiation sensitivity in prostate cancer without affecting normal surrounding urothelial tissue. PC3 prostate cancer cells and normal URO-tsa bladder epithelial cells were treated with or without MG-132 and exposed to 0, 2, 4, or 6 Gy radiation. Cell viability and clonogenic survival assays were performed, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) activity was evaluated with electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). MG-132 was associated with decreased cell viability (between 24% and 33%) and clonogenic survival (between 71% and 88%) alone and in combination with radiation in PC3 cells. MG-132 had no effect on cell viability or clonogenic survival following radiation in URO-tsa cells. Constitutive and radiation-induced NF-kappaB binding activity was higher in PC3 cells compared with URO-tsa cells. Furthermore, MG-132 at concentrations associated with reductions in cell viability and clongenic survival inhibited NF-kappaB binding activity in PC3 cells with no effect in URO-tsa cells. These results provide strong evidence that proteasome inhibition and concomitant NF-kappaB inhibition can be used to selectively enhance tumor radiation sensitivity in prostate cancer without affecting normal surrounding bladder tissue.     

Photodynamic therapy of transitional cell carcinoma multicellular tumor spheroids with hypericin

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) to hypericin PDT in a 3-D system using multicellular tumor spheroids. The photodynamic response in RT-112 human bladder TCC spheroids was also compared to 2-D cultured monolayer cells. Following a 2-4 h incubation with 8-30 microM hypericin, spheroids or monolayer cells were irradiated at the light dose of 12 J/cm2, delivered at a fluence rate of 10-100 mW/cm2. The PDT effects were evaluated using a clonogenic assay. The results show that compared with the cells in a monolayer, cells in spheroids were dramatically less sensitive to hypericin PDT (<2000-fold). Studies of fluorescence microphotographs of centrally cut frozen sections of hypericin-exposed spheroids showed a gradient in hypericin concentration from the peripheral to the central region of the spheroid. Although it can be suggested that heterogeneity of drug uptake might be responsible for the observed resistance of spheroid to hypericin PDT, hypericin sensitized spheroids that were dissociated prior to light irradiation were as sensitive as the monolayer cells to hypericin PDT, suggesting that other factors such as oxygen depletion might be responsible for the resistance of spheroids to hypericin PDT.     

Modulation of murine radiation-induced fibrosarcoma-1 tumor metabolism and blood flow in situ via glucose and mannitol administration monitored by 31P and 2H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

The hyperglycemia-induced in situ metabolism and blood flow changes produced in s.c. implanted murine radiation-induced fibrosarcoma-1 tumors, grown on the flanks of female C3H/HeJ mice, were examined with 31P and 2H nuclear magnetic resonance. Initial experiments verified a hyperglycemic tumor acidification similar to that reported earlier with a different substrain of mice, C3H/AnF (J.L. Evelhoch et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81: 6496-6500, 1984). Changes in the tumor pH, phosphorus metabolites, and blood flow were then compared after administration of saline, glucose, or mannitol (a nonmetabolizable glucose analogue) using a mole-equivalent dose of the sugars (i.e., 0.8 mmol/20g mouse). Neither saline (n = 8) nor mannitol (n = 6) administration had any marked effect upon tumor pH, whereas glucose administration produced a mean maximum tumor pH reduction of 0.74 +/- 0.09 (SE; n = 9) during the 2.5 h post-glucose injection. No significant changes in high energy phosphate concentrations were observed during the same period after saline injection. After glucose injection, the [phosphocreatine] gradually decreased by 64% (P = 0.0001). After the initial 1 h post-glucose injection, the [inorganic phosphate] increased by 58% (P = 0.0001), and the [nucleoside triphosphates] decreased by 29% (P = 0.0001) during the following 1.5 h. After mannitol injection, while there was no change in [inorganic phosphate] over time (P = 0.37), the [phosphocreatine] decreased by 33% (P = 0.0001) and the [nucleoside triphosphates] decreased by 21% (P = 0.0015) within 20 min, then both the [phosphocreatine] and [nucleoside triphosphates] remained at constant levels during the following 2 h. In parallel experiments, the volumetric rate of tumor blood flow and perfusion was measured by 2H nuclear magnetic resonance monitoring of 2H2O washout kinetics (S-G. Kim and J. J. H. Ackerman, Cancer Res., 48: 3449-3453, 1988); tumor blood flow decreased by 80% (P = 0.0001, n = 11), 60% (P = 0.0031, n = 4), and 20% (P = 0.058, n = 10) at 2 h after glucose, mannitol, or saline injections, respectively. These results suggest that anaerobic glycolysis is a requirement for hyperglycemic tumor acidification. However, the decrease in tumor blood flow accompanying hyperglycemic acidification suggests that flow reduction also may be a contributing or a required cofactor for acidification via inhibition of lactic acid egress.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

光动力疗法与抗肿瘤免疫治疗在肿瘤治疗中的应用

恶性肿瘤是威胁着人类健康,且难以治愈的一种重大疾病。尽管近年来陆续出现了手术、化疗、放疗等多种治疗方式。但由于这些治疗方式普遍存在较强的不良反应及不良预后,人们不得不去探索更好的治疗方法以提高肿瘤的治疗效率和患者的适应性。光动力治疗（photodynamic therapy,PDT）是目前肿瘤治疗的重要辅助治疗手段之一。相较于传统的治疗方法,PDT侵袭性小,不易损伤正常组织;此外,它还能够有效诱导免疫原性细胞死亡（immunogenic cell death,ICD）和刺激免疫,是一种理想的肿瘤微创治疗方法。本文将针对PDT具有抗肿瘤免疫的特点,对目前PDT与抗肿瘤免疫治疗结合的一些肿瘤治疗策略进行综述。      

Antiangiogenesis therapy using a novel angiogenesis inhibitor, anginex, following radiation causes tumor growth delay

Background The present study investigated whether treatment with anginex, a novel antiangiogenic peptide, could block re-vascularization after radiation treatment. Methods A squamous cell (SCCVII) xenograft tumor mouse model was employed to assess the effects of anginex given post-radiation on tumor growth, microvessel density (MVD), and oxygen levels. The oxygen status was determined by the partial pressure of O₂. Results Tumors in untreated mice increased threefold in 7.0 days, anginex-treated tumors (10 mg/kg intraperitoneal, twice) required 7.3 ± 0.9 days, and tumors exposed to 8-Gy radiation increased threefold over 11 days. Combination treatment of anginex and radiation caused the tumors to grow threefold in 16.1 ± 1.6 days, a delay which was significant and deemed supra-additive. Oxygen levels in tumors treated by stand-alone or combination therapies were significantly reduced; for example from 19.5 ± 4.9 mmHg in controls to 9.7 ± 1.9 mmHg in combination-treated, size-matched tumors. In addition, immunohistochemistry showed a decrease in MVD in the tumors treated with anginex, radiation, or the combination. These results suggest that a combination of anginex and radiation can greatly affect the amount of functional vasculature in tumors and prolong radiation-induced tumor regression. Conclusion Antiangiogenesis therapy with anginex, in addition to radiotherapy, will be useful by blocking angiogenesis-dependent regrowth of vessels.     

Halofuginone enhances the radiation sensitivity of human tumor cell lines

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is implicated in radiation-induced fibrosis of normal tissues in patients receiving radiotherapy. Inhibiting the TGF-β signaling pathway by various means has been shown to reduce radiation-induced fibrosis in pre-clinical studies. The present study evaluated the effects of interfering with the TGF-β signaling pathway on the radiosensitivity of selected human tumor cell lines using the plant-derived alkaloid, halofuginone. Halofuginone treatment inhibited cell growth, halted cell cycle progression, decreased radiation-induced DNA damage repair, and decreased TGF-β receptor II protein levels, leading to increased cellular radiosensitization. These data further support the goal of manipulating the TGF-β pathway to achieve a positive increase in the therapeutic gain in clinical radiotherapy.     

Photodynamic therapy with hypericin in a mouse P388 tumor model: vascular effects determine the efficacy

Hypericin, a polycyclic quinone obtained from plants of the Hypericum genus, exhibits strong photodynamic antitumor effects. In the present study, PDT efficacy of hypericin under different conditions was compared in a P388 mouse tumor model. Plasma and tumor drug measurements and assessment of vascular damage by fluorescein dye exclusion were performed to determine the relative contributions of vascular effects and direct tumor cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the influence of modifying tumor oxygenation on PDT effect was also evaluated. Study of PDT efficacy and tissue distribution revealed that PDT efficacy was more dependent on plasma concentration than tumor drug level. Fluorescein dye exclusion indicated the complete microvascular occlusion in the tumor and surrounding skin immediately after effective PDT treatments, while only a limited vascular occulation was observed after non-effective PDT treatment. It was found that neither tumor hypoxia induced by hydralazine nor increasing tumor oxygenation achieved by nicotinamide could significantly affect the effectiveness of various PDT protocols. These results suggest that tumor vasculature damage might be the primary mechanism of hypericin-mediated PDT effect. The existence of this potent secondary vascular effect is likely to account for the inability of tumor oxygenation modifiers to affect tumor response after PDT with hypericin.     

Late effects in children treated with radiation therapy for Wilms' tumor

Purpose: To determine the frequency and types of late effects in children receiving radiation therapy (RT) for Wilms’ tumor.

Materials and Methods: From 1968 to 1994, 55 children received megavoltage RT at our institution as part of treatment for Wilms’ tumor. A total of 42 (76.4%) have survived and have a minimum follow-up of 5 years. There were 25 female and 17 male patients with a median age at diagnosis of 48 months (range, 7–126 months). There were 12 Stage I, eight Stage II, 15 Stage III, six Stage IV, and one Stage V patient. RT was delivered to the hemiabdomen in 36 and whole abdomen in six patients. RT dose was 1000–1200 cGy (Group A) in 12, 1201–2399 cGy (Group B) in 11, and 2400–4000 cGy (Group C) in 19. Whole-lung RT was delivered to 13 patients either at diagnosis or pulmonary relapse. All patients received chemotherapy; the most common agents were actinomycin-D/vincristine/adriamycin in 13 and actinomycin-D/vincristine in 18. Median follow-up was 181 months (range, 60–306 months).

Results: Of 42 patients, 13 (31.0%) did not have late effects of treatment. The number of patients who developed muscular hypoplasia, limb length inequality, kyphosis, and iliac wing hypoplasia were seven (16.7%), five (11.9%), three (7.1%), and three (7.1%), respectively. Scoliosis was seen in 18 (42.9%) with only one patient requiring orthopedic intervention. Median time to development of scoliosis was 102 months, with a range of 16–146 months. The actuarial incidence of scoliosis at 5, 10, and 15 years after RT was 4.8 ± 3.3%, 51.8 ± 9.0%, and 56.7 ± 9.3%, respectively. Only one of 12 Group A patients developed scoliosis. The 10- and 15-year actuarial incidences of scoliosis for Group A and B patients were 37.7 ± 12.4% and 37.7 ± 12.4%, whereas for Group C patients the incidences were 65.8 ± 12.0% and 74.4 ± 11.7% (p = 0.03, log rank test). The actuarial incidence of bowel obstruction at 5, 10, and 15 years was 9.5 ± 4.5%, 13.0 ± 5.6%, and 17.0 ± 6.5%. Of 23 patients, five irradiated within 10 days of surgery and one of 19 irradiated after 10 days developed bowel obstruction (p = 0.09, log rank test). Three patients developed hypertension with normal blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels; another patient had chronic renal insufficiency in a nonirradiated kidney. One patient developed diffuse interstitial pneumonitis. Of the 19 female patients who have reached puberty, three have given birth, and 15 have regular and one has irregular menstrual periods. Four patients developed benign neoplasms; three were in the RT field (two osteochondroma, one lipoma) and one outside (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia II). There were three second malignancies (chronic myelogenous leukemia at 9 years, osteosarcoma at 11 years, and breast cancer at 25 years after initial diagnosis of nephroblastoma); both solid malignancies occurred in the RT field.

Conclusions: Late effects of therapy were seen in more than two thirds of children treated for Wilms’ tumor. Children treated with lower doses (<2400 cGy) had a lower incidence of scoliosis compared with those who received more than 2400 cGy. There is also a suggestion that the incidence is lower in patients who received 1000–1200 cGy. Severe physical and functional deformity from RT was uncommon.     

Photodynamic therapy in patients with colorectal cancer

A pilot study was conducted, in which photodynamic therapy (PDT), a technique in which malignant cells are destroyed by light after being previously photosensitized by a chemical compound, was tried in a group of 14 patients with recurrent or residual colorectal cancer in the pelvis. Three of the six patients with unresectable pelvic recurrences experienced a significant relief of pain after PDT. In two of the five patients who had an incomplete resection of their pelvic recurrences, there was also a substantial relief of pelvic pain after surgery and PDT. In one of these patients subsequent biopsies proved the disappearance of the residual pelvic microscopic disease after several sessions of PDT. Three patients had a recurrence from a squamous cell carcinoma primary of the anal canal. All recurrences were amenable to surgical resection. In one of the patients, PDT was used in an attempt to sterilize an area of residual tumor that was located over the left ischial tuberosity. The patient experienced good relief of pain, but died of her disease 7 months after PDT. In the other two patients, PDT was used as an "adjunct" after resection of their recurrences. One of these patients was free of disease and died of an unrelated cause 12 months after PDT. The other is alive and well. This study demonstrated that PDT can be safe and tolerable in patients with pelvic malignancies. PDT is capable of tumor destruction, can be used repeatedly in areas previously exposed to ionizing radiation, and may have a role in the prevention and management of pelvic-perineal recurrences from colorectal cancer.     

STAT3 表达与肿瘤血管生成及放射敏感性关系的研究进展*

信号转导和转录活化因子3（STAT3）属于STATs 家族中重要一员,广泛表达于不同类型的细胞和组织中,并参与细胞生长、增殖、凋亡、恶性转化等生理和病理过程的调控。近年来,STAT3 在肿瘤血管生成及放疗敏感性方面的研究日益增多。研究表明STAT3 活化后,一方面通过直接调控血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）表达促进血管生成进而产生放疗抗拒;另一方面STAT3 通过活化缺氧诱导因子- 1α（HIF-1α）间接促进血管生成产生放疗耐受。此外,STAT3 还可以直接或通过HIF-1α 间接调控细胞周期蛋白D 1（CyclinD1）表达,使细胞周期由G 1 期快速进入S 期,促进细胞增殖,且CyclinD1 与放疗敏感性相关。由此发现,STAT3 通过直接和间接两种途径在肿瘤血管生成及放疗抗拒方面发挥作用。本文拟对此方面的相关研究新进展作一综述。     

What is cure of the tumor with radiation therapy? Clinical viewpoint

Tumors as malignant as lung cancer can be cured by radiation therapy. Local control is the primary requirement for complete cure of the tumor, but the continued presence of the mass demonstrated by imaging techniques does not necessary mean persistence of viable tumor cells. The mass shadow persisting in the region irradiated at a cure dose may simply represent delayed absorption of dead cells so that the patient should be observed for at least 3 months after the therapy. This requires patience on the part of clinitians, but erroneous additional irradiation must be avoided, because excess irradiation can do harm but no good. Radiosensitivity, radioresponsiveness, and radiocurability are all independent characteristics of the tumor. In general, the effects of radiation therapy must be evaluated comprehensively in consideration of these three characteristics of the tumor. Understanding of the natural history of the disease is essential for the treatment of malignant tumors. Therapeutic approach cannot be determined if the natural history of tumor is disregarded.     

Managing the cognitive effects of brain tumor radiation therapy

Opinion statement Postoperative radiation therapy (RT), either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, is the mainstay of treatment for primary and/or metastatic brain tumors. The majority of patients with brain tumors will have significant symptoms of their disease and of RT that will have a negative impact on their quality of life and neurocognitive function. The symptoms of brain tumors depend on tumor location. Radiation-induced brain injury is a complex and dynamic process involving all cells in the brain, including endothelial and oligodendroglial cells, astrocytes, microglia, neurons, and neuronal stem cells. The symptoms of radiation-induced brain injury may be acute, subacute, or chronic, occurring hours, days, weeks, months, and even years after exposure to radiation, the pathogenesis of which is oxidative stress and inflammation. At present, there are no effective preventive approaches for radiation-induced brain injury. Rather, the management of radiation-induced fatigue, changes in mood, and cognitive dysfunction involves a multidisciplinary approach using pharmacologic, behavioral, and rehabilitative therapies. Given the prevalence of brain neoplasms and the high incidence of the radiation-induced symptom cluster and brain injury, clinical research to address these important clinical problems is critical.     

Photodynamic therapy in the normal rat colon with phthalocyanine sensitisation

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves the interaction of light with an administered photosensitising agent to produce cellular destruction. It has promising potential for the local and endoscopic treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. There is however little data on the response of normal intestine to PDT. We have investigated the use of a new photosensitiser chloro aluminum sulphonated phthalocyanine (AlSPc) for colonic PDT. The peak concentration of AlSPc in the colon measured by alkali extraction occurred 1 h after i.v. injection. The cellular uptake demonstrated by laser fluorescence microscopy was greater in the mucosa than in the muscle. AlSPc was activated in the tissues by light from an argon ion pumped dye laser at 675 nm. The laser power was set at 100 mW and the fibre placed touching the mucosa. In control animals no macroscopic damage was seen. Temperature measurement using a microthermocouple array showed no temperature rise during light exposure. The energy (fluence), dose of sensitiser and time from sensitisation to phototherapy were altered and the area of necrosis measured. The geometry of the colon made theoretical analysis of the correlation between laser energy and size of lesion difficult. However, following direct measurement of the relative light intensity (fluence rate) in the colon we were able to confirm that there was a threshold fluence for colonic necrosis. The area of photodynamic damage seen 72 h after phototherapy fell with the fall in tissue concentration of AlSPc from 1 h to 1 month after i.v. injection. However, maximum tissue necrosis occurred when treatment was performed immediately after i.v. injection. In this situation, intense vascular spasm was seen and any light transmitted through the colon which fell on the small bowel mesentery caused a lethal ischaemic necrosis. The initial histological changes after PDT were vascular, followed by full thickness necrosis at 72 h. Healing by regeneration was complete by 2-3 weeks. Despite full thickness necrosis there was no reduction in the colonic bursting pressure at any time. Colon treated by hyperthermia had a reduced bursting pressure. Specific collagen stains showed that PDT did not alter the submucosal collagen architecture whereas hyperthermia did.     

Photodynamic therapy involves an antiangiogenic mechanism and is enhanced by ferrochelatase inhibitor in urothelial carcinoma

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of photodynamic therapy (PDT) supplemented with exogenously added 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) on human urothelial cancer (UC). Moreover, we aimed to determine whether the therapeutic effects of ALA‐based PDT (ALA‐PDT) for UC could be enhanced by deferoxamine (DFX), an inhibitor of ferrochelatase. The efficiency of ALA‐PDT on these cells was analyzed using flow cytometry and the type of cell death was also assessed. The ALA‐PDT promoting effect of DFX was examined on both UC cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The ALA‐PDT decreased levels of mitochondrial membrane potential and induced cell death mainly via apoptosis in these cells. Moreover, inhibition of ferrochelatase by DFX led to an increase of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) accumulation and enhanced the effect of ALA‐PDT on UC cells. We further investigated the effect of DFX on in vivo PDT with a tumor‐bearing animal model and found that DFX efficiently enhanced tumor cell apoptosis. ALA‐PDT induced death of neovascular endothelial cells in tumors but did not affect small vessel endothelial cells in normal tissues surrounding the tumor. Furthermore, DFX enhanced inhibition of neovascularization. These results demonstrated ALA‐PDT dominantly induced apoptosis over necrosis by direct action on UC as well as via antiangiogenic action on neovacular endothelial cells, suggesting that the therapeutic damage by ALA‐PDT could be kept to a minimum in the surrounding normal tissues. In addition, increased accumulation of PpIX by DFX could enhance this effectiveness of ALA‐PDT.     

Correlation of radiation response with tumor oxygenation in the Dunning prostate R3327-AT1 tumor

PURPOSE: To investigate the application of pretreatment oxygenation to the AT1 subline of the Dunning R3327 prostate tumor, which is more hypoxic and faster growing than the H1 subline previously studied. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Dunning prostate R3327-AT1 tumors growing on Copenhagen rats were administered 30 Gy of X-ray radiation either with or without oxygen inhalation. Tumor oxygenation was sampled by (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance echo planar imaging relaxometry of the reporter molecule hexafluorobenzene, no more than 24 h before irradiation. RESULTS: Large tumors (>3.0 cm(3)) exhibited significantly greater hypoxic fractions and lower mean partial pressure of oxygen (pO(2)) than their smaller counterparts (<1.5 cm(3)). However, unlike the R3327-HI subline, large AT1 tumors generally did not respond to oxygen inhalation in terms of altered hypoxic fraction or response to irradiation. Although the tumors did not respond to oxygen inhalation, each tumor had a different pO(2), and there was a clear trend between level of oxygenation at time of irradiation and tumor growth delay, with considerably better outcome when mean pO(2) > 10 mm Hg. The comparatively small baseline hypoxic fraction in the group of small tumors was virtually eliminated by breathing oxygen, and the growth rate was significantly reduced for tumors on rats breathing oxygen during irradiation. CONCLUSIONS: These results further validate the usefulness of nuclear magnetic resonance oximetry as a predictor of response to radiation therapy.