title: Production of protoporphyrin IX from 5-aminolevulinic acid and two of its esters in cells in vitro and tissues in vivo.
abstract: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and two of its esters were studied in cells in vitro and in vivo on skin of healthy hairless mice. In vitro, both esters, which are more lipophilic than ALA, induced higher PpIX fluorescence at lower concentrations compared with ALA. In vivo, ALA induced PpIX fluorescence more efficiently than the esters. The difference between ALA and the esters may be related to structures in the stratum corneum or to rate of penetration through this skin layer. The stratum corneum may bind the esters temporarily, and slow down their penetration into the living cells where PpIX is formed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, N-0310 Montebello, Oslo, Norway. asta.juzeniene@klinmed.uio.no
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Juzeniene
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juzenas
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moan
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011485:Protein Binding; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011524:Protoporphyrins; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; C028025:protoporphyrin IX