Modulating ALA-PDT efficacy of mutlidrug resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells using ALA prodrug

Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2011 Dec;10(12):1926-33. doi: 10.1039/c1pp05205e. Epub 2011 Oct 24.

Abstract

Multi-drug resistance of breast cancer is a major obstacle in chemotherapy of cancer treatments. Recently it was suggested that photodynamic therapy (PDT) can overcome drug resistance of tumors. ALA-PDT is based on the administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the natural precursor for the PpIX biosynthesis, which is a potent natural photosensitizer. In the present study we used the AlaAcBu, a multifunctional ALA-prodrug for photodynamic inactivation of drug resistant MCF-7/DOX breast cancer cells. Supplementation of low doses (0.2mM) of AlaAcBu to the cells significantly increased accumulation of PpIX in both MCF-7/WT and MCF-7/DOX cells in comparison to ALA, or ALA + butyric acid (BA). In addition, our results show that MCF-7/DOX cells are capable of producing higher levels of porphyrins than MCF-7/WT cells due to low expression of the enzyme ferrochelatase, which inserts iron into the tetra-pyrrol ring to form the end product heme. Light irradiation of the AlaAcBu treated cells activated efficient photodynamic killing of MCF-7/DOX cells similar to the parent MCF-7/WT cells, depicted by low mitochondrial enzymatic activity, LDH leakage and decreased cell survival following PDT. These results indicate that the pro-drug AlaAcBu is an effective ALA derivative for PDT treatments of multidrug resistant tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminolevulinic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Aminolevulinic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Levulinic Acids / chemistry
  • Levulinic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Levulinic Acids / therapeutic use
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Photochemotherapy
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use
  • Prodrugs / pharmacology*
  • Prodrugs / therapeutic use
  • Protoporphyrins / metabolism

Substances

  • AlaAcBu
  • Levulinic Acids
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Prodrugs
  • Protoporphyrins
  • Doxorubicin
  • Aminolevulinic Acid
  • protoporphyrin IX