INVESTIGATIONS OF A MANGANESE-CONTAINING MIMIC OF SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE IN RIBOFLAVIN PHOTOTOXICITY IN HUMAN-CELLS INVITRO

The activity and specificity of a manganese-containing low molecular weight mimic of superoxide dismutase (manganese desferioxamine (Mndf)) were investigated in riboflavin (Rf) photosensitization in solution and cell culture. In addition to the very high superoxide dismutase-like activity of Mndf at micromolar concentrations, photochemical studies in solution indicated that it could quench excited singlet and triplet states at millimolar concentrations. Human erythrocytes, human lymphocytes and a human bladder carcinoma cell line were used to evaluate the potential of Mndf for in vivo use. The efficacy and toxicity of Mndf in the protection against Rf photoxicity varied between the different cell types. © 1990.