title: Photodynamic effects of pterin on HeLa cells.
abstract: Pterins, heterocyclic compounds widespread in biological systems, participate in relevant biological processes and are able to act as photosensitizers. In the present study, we ascertained that 2-aminopteridin-4(3H)-one, abbreviated as Ptr, is readily incorporated into and/or onto cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and that these cells die upon UV-A irradiation of Ptr. Cell death was assessed using two tests: (1) the Rhodamine 123 fluorescence assay for mitochondrial viability and (2) the Trypan Blue assay for membrane integrity. The data suggest that, for Ptr-dependent photoinitiated cell death, events related to mitochondrial failure precede those associated with the failure of the cell membrane.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CCT La Plata-CONICET, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: M Paula
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Denofrio
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Breitenbach
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatz
authors.forename: Franco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cabrerizo
authors.forename: Andrés H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Ogilby
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry*; D002452:Cell Count; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D011622:Pterins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D020112:Rhodamine 123 / Q000032:analysis; D014343:Trypan Blue / Q000032:analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011622:Pterins; D020112:Rhodamine 123; D014343:Trypan Blue