title: Photodynamic therapy-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which is a treatment for cancer and certain noncancerous conditions, requires exposure of cells or tissue to a photosensitizing drug followed by irradiation with visible light of the appropriate wavelength. By using Rose Bengal Acetate (RBAc) as the photosensitizer and an innovative green light-emitting diode, we investigated the efficiency with which apoptosis is induced in HeLa cells, focusing our study on mitochondria alteration and cytochrome c release. Indeed, RBAc is a very efficient fluorogenic substrate and easily enters the cells where the original photoactive molecule is restored by specific esterases. HeLa cells after PDT underwent a consistent rate of apoptosis (peaked at 12 h of recovery post-PDT). Necrosis was observed at the longest times of recovery as a result of secondary necrosis. PDT gave rise to a series of shape modifications, mainly referable to apoptotic-related changes (i.e., extensive blebs formation) involving both F-actin and tubulin networks. Soon after PDT, mitochondria lose their potential membranes and release large quantities of cytochrome c.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panzarini
authors.forename: Bernardetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tenuzzo
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dini
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C501991:Rose Bengal acetate; D012395:Rose Bengal; D045304:Cytochromes c