Evaluation of Hypocrellin B in a human bladder tumor model in experimental photodynamic therapy: Biodistribution, light dose and drug-light interval effects

Hypocrellin B (HB), a monomeric perylenequinone pigment, is a promising second-generation photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy. We have evaluated the efficacy of HB mediated PDT by experimenting with various drug-light intervals, based on the biodistribution analysis in human bladder tumor (MGH cell line) models. Tumor growth rates were assessed at 10-day post treatment followed by morphometric analysis. Biodistribution of HB was evaluated using spectrofluorophotometry analysis (Ex: 480 nm, Em: 620-630 nm). The level of HB peaked at 6 h postinjection in tumor, peritumoral skin and normal muscle followed by a decline over the next 42 h. Concurrently, the ratio of drug in tumor versus skin was relatively low at all times in comparison to tumor to muscle ratio. In serum, concentration of HB peaked at 1 h. Almost 88% of its original uptake level was cleared at 48 h. The level of PDT response revealed a strong dependence on the drug-light intervals (DLI) and light dose. For both high and low fluence/fluence rate, comparable tumor response was observed at 1 h DLI; treated tumors exhibited significant tumor regression compared to 6 and 24 h DLI. The absence of tumor response was observed at 24 h DLI even at high light dose (100 J/cm2; 100 mW/cm2). Tumor response detected at low light dose (12 J/cm2; 12 mW/cm2) at short DLI suggests that the tumor vasculature is a more sensitive target compared to the cellular compartment of the tumor, correlating significantly with the bioavailability of the drug in serum. Therefore, HB mediated PDT effect is characteristics of a predominantly vascular mediated effect. This study confirms that for short drug-light intervals, PDT seems to target tumor vasculature, which contributes to tumor destruction.