title: Porphyrin accumulation induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid esters in tumour cells growing in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: The ability of 5-aminolaevulinic acid and some of its esterified derivatives to induce porphyrin accumulation has been examined in CaNT murine mammary carcinoma cells growing in culture and as tumours in vivo. Topical or intravenous administration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid-esters to mice bearing subcutaneous tumours produced lower porphyrin levels in the tumour than an equimolar dose of 5-aminolaevulinic acid. Reducing the dose of intravenous hexyl- or benzyl-ALA and topical hexyl-5-aminolaevulinic acid resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in porphyrin accumulation. A number of normal tissues accumulated higher concentrations of porphyrins than tumour tissue following intravenous administration of 5-aminolaevulinic acid-esters. Esterase activity in these normal tissues was greater than that in tumour tissue. In contrast to the situation in vivo, all of the 5-aminolaevulinic acid-esters examined were at least as effective as 5-aminolaevulinic acid when applied to cloned CaNT cells in vitro, with the drug concentration required for maximum porphyrin accumulation varying with ester chain-length. Tumour cells growing in culture released esterase activity into the medium. These findings suggest that the efficacy of 5-aminolaevulinic esters may vary depending on the esterase activity of the target tissue, and suggest caution when interpreting the findings of in vitro studies using these and similar prodrugs.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Photobiology and Photodynamic Therapy, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Tunstall
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Vernon
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D J H
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004952:Esters; D005260:Female; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004952:Esters; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011166:Porphyrins; D011355:Prodrugs; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C028025:protoporphyrin IX; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D043182:Carboxylesterase