Pharmacokinetic and tumour-photosensitizing properties of methoxyphenyl porphyrin derivative

The photokilling activity of 5-[4-N-(2',6'-dinitro-4'-trifluoromethylphenyl)aminophenyl]-10,15,20-tris(2,4,6-trimethoxy phenyl) porphyrin (CF3) was evaluated on a Hep-2 human larynx-carcinoma cell line. An apoptotic mechanism of cell death was found at low irradiation doses. Pharmacokinetic and tumour-photosensitizing properties were studied in mice. The results show that a different mechanism of cell death can be induced depending on the irradiation doses in the photodynamic treatments with CF3, which makes this agent an interesting sensitizer for potential turnout photosensitizer. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.