title: CGP 55398, a liposomal Ge(IV) phthalocyanine bearing two axially ligated cholesterol moieties: a new potential agent for photodynamic therapy of tumours.
abstract: Ge(IV) phthalocyanine (GePc) with two axially ligated cholesterol moieties was prepared by chemical synthesis and incorporated in a monomeric state into small unilamellar liposomes (CGP 55398). Upon photoexcitation with light wavelengths around its intense absorption peak at 680 nm, GePc shows an efficient photosensitising activity towards biological substrates through a mechanism which largely involves the intermediacy of singlet oxygen. GePc injected systemically into mice bearing an intramuscularly implanted MS-2 fibrosarcoma is quantitatively transferred to serum lipoproteins and localises in the tumour tissue with good efficiency: at 24 h post injection the GePc content in the tumour is 0.74 and 1.87 micrograms per g of tissue with a tumour/peritumoral ratio of 4.35 and 5.67 for injected doses of 0.76 and 1.52 mg kg-1 respectively. At this time the red-light irradiation of the GePc-loaded fibrosarcoma causes a fast and massive tumour necrosis involving both malignant cells and blood vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Segalla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanesi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jori
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Capraro
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Isele
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schieweck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054833:Isoindoles; D008081:Liposomes; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011817:Rabbits; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D007211:Indoles; D054833:Isoindoles; D008081:Liposomes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; C087232:CGP 55398; C013647:phthalocyanine