Morphometric analysis of mouse tumor nuclei subjected to photodynamic therapy.
OBJECTIVE
The diachronic changes in nuclei in tumor cells subjected to photodynamic therapy (PDT) were investigated using computer assisted analysis to elucidate the degeneration process of tumor cell nuclei.


METHODS
A photosensitizer was injected intraperitoneally to mice bearing NR-S1 mouse squamous cell carcinoma in the dorsum 48 hours before laser irradiation. Mice were sacrificed at intervals of 0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after PDT, and tumors were excised. Neither photosensitizer nor laser irradiation was administered to control mice. A 4-mum section was prepared from each specimen, followed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The nuclei of the tumor cells were examined under a light microscope. The mean nuclear area and coefficient of variation of the nuclear area of 100 nuclei per slide were calculated.


RESULTS
Both nuclear area and coefficient of variation of the nuclear area were significantly lower in the experimental groups nuclei than in control mouse nuclei at 24 and 48 hours after PDT.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that maximum damage to tumor nuclei occurs between 24 to 48 hours after PDT.
Uehara
Masataka
M
Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Reconstruction, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan. uehara@net.nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Sekine
Joji
J
Wang
Zuolin
Z
Inokuchi
Tsugio
T
D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006414:Hematoporphyrin Photoradiation; D006415:Hematoporphyrins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D006415:Hematoporphyrins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents