Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy?
Photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) are, in most cases, administered systemically with preferential accumulation in malignant tissues; however, exposure of non-malignant tissues to PS may also be clinically relevant, when PS molecules affect the pro-apoptotic cascade without illumin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-10-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/8/10/93 |
| _version_ | 1797726546356600832 |
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| author | Veronika Huntosova Katarina Stroffekova |
| author_facet | Veronika Huntosova Katarina Stroffekova |
| author_sort | Veronika Huntosova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) are, in most cases, administered systemically with preferential accumulation in malignant tissues; however, exposure of non-malignant tissues to PS may also be clinically relevant, when PS molecules affect the pro-apoptotic cascade without illumination. Hypericin (Hyp) as PS and its derivatives have long been studied, regarding their photodynamic and photocytotoxic characteristics. Hyp and its derivatives have displayed light-activated antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects in many tumor cell lines without cytotoxicity in the dark. However, light-independent effects of Hyp have emerged. Contrary to the acclaimed Hyp minimal dark cytotoxicity and preferential accumulation in tumor cells, it was recently been shown that non-malignant and malignant cells uptake Hyp at a similar level. In addition, Hyp has displayed light-independent toxicity and anti-proliferative effects in a wide range of concentrations. There are multiple mechanisms underlying Hyp light-independent effects, and we are still missing many details about them. In this paper, we focus on Hyp light-independent effects at several sub-cellular levels—protein distribution and synthesis, organelle ultrastructure and function, and Hyp light-independent effects regarding reactive oxygen species (ROS). We summarize work from our laboratories and that of others to reveal an intricate network of the Hyp light-independent effects. We propose a schematic model of pro- and anti-apoptotic protein dynamics between cell organelles due to Hyp presence without illumination. Based on our model, Hyp can be explored as an adjuvant therapeutic drug in combination with chemo- or radiation cancer therapy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:47:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa5c454e879c449a8ae9955302eb87ec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T10:47:11Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa5c454e879c449a8ae9955302eb87ec2023-09-02T07:31:23ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942016-10-018109310.3390/cancers8100093cancers8100093Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy?Veronika Huntosova0Katarina Stroffekova1Center for Interdisciplinary Biosciences, PJ Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 040 01, SlovakiaDepartment of Biophysics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, PJ Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice 040 01, SlovakiaPhotosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) are, in most cases, administered systemically with preferential accumulation in malignant tissues; however, exposure of non-malignant tissues to PS may also be clinically relevant, when PS molecules affect the pro-apoptotic cascade without illumination. Hypericin (Hyp) as PS and its derivatives have long been studied, regarding their photodynamic and photocytotoxic characteristics. Hyp and its derivatives have displayed light-activated antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects in many tumor cell lines without cytotoxicity in the dark. However, light-independent effects of Hyp have emerged. Contrary to the acclaimed Hyp minimal dark cytotoxicity and preferential accumulation in tumor cells, it was recently been shown that non-malignant and malignant cells uptake Hyp at a similar level. In addition, Hyp has displayed light-independent toxicity and anti-proliferative effects in a wide range of concentrations. There are multiple mechanisms underlying Hyp light-independent effects, and we are still missing many details about them. In this paper, we focus on Hyp light-independent effects at several sub-cellular levels—protein distribution and synthesis, organelle ultrastructure and function, and Hyp light-independent effects regarding reactive oxygen species (ROS). We summarize work from our laboratories and that of others to reveal an intricate network of the Hyp light-independent effects. We propose a schematic model of pro- and anti-apoptotic protein dynamics between cell organelles due to Hyp presence without illumination. Based on our model, Hyp can be explored as an adjuvant therapeutic drug in combination with chemo- or radiation cancer therapy.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/8/10/93hypericinPKCBcl2BAXoxidative stressglioma cellsendothelial cellscancer |
| spellingShingle | Veronika Huntosova Katarina Stroffekova Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? Cancers hypericin PKC Bcl2 BAX oxidative stress glioma cells endothelial cells cancer |
| title | Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? |
| title_full | Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? |
| title_fullStr | Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? |
| title_short | Hypericin in the Dark: Foe or Ally in Photodynamic Therapy? |
| title_sort | hypericin in the dark foe or ally in photodynamic therapy |
| topic | hypericin PKC Bcl2 BAX oxidative stress glioma cells endothelial cells cancer |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/8/10/93 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT veronikahuntosova hypericininthedarkfoeorallyinphotodynamictherapy AT katarinastroffekova hypericininthedarkfoeorallyinphotodynamictherapy |