Photophysicochemical characterization of mycosporine-like amino acids in micellar solutions.

The properties and photochemical and photophysical behavior of the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) shinorine and porphyra-334 were experimentally evaluated in solutions of direct ionic micelles as simple biomimicking environments. The preferential partition of the natural molecules in the aqueous phase of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) micellar systems is confirmed. Although the proton dissociation of the carboxylic groups in the MAAs is slightly inhibited in CTAC solutions, the molecules are predicted to be in the form of zwitterions in all the explored media around physiological pH. The increase in the fluorescence quantum yield, emission lifetime and stationary anisotropy in the presence of CTAC micelles suggest electrostatic attractions of the MAAs with the surface of the cationic micelles. Consistently, the triplet-triplet absorption spectra in CTAC solutions reveal the typical environmental features of the micellar interface, while in the presence of SDS they are similar to those determined in neat water. Finally, the photostability of the MAAs increases in the micellar systems, more noticeably in the case of CTAC. It is concluded that the ability of the two MAAs to act as UV screens is susceptible to the influence of electrostatic interactions with organized microheterogeneous environments.

Reactions of excited states of phenoxazin-3-one dyes with amino acids.

The interaction with amino acids of the excited states of the N-oxide resazurin and its deoxygenation product resorufin, has been studied in aqueous solution at pH 7.5. Steady-state and time-resolved studies show that the fluorescence is quenched by amino acids. Complexation of the dyes in the ground state with aromatic amino acids was also observed. The singlet quenching is attributed to electron transfer from the amino acids to the excited dye based on the dependence of the bimolecular rate constants with the ionization potential of quenchers. Flash photolysis experiments allowed determination of the quenching rate constants for the triplet deactivation of dyes by several amino acids, as well as the characterization of the transients formed in the process. These data show that the triplet is also deactivated by an electron transfer process. However, the deactivation of the N-oxide dye by tryptophan can be described by a hydrogen atom transfer. The protolytic dissociation constants of the dye radical ions are reported. The irradiation of rezasurin in the presence of amino acids leads to deoxygenation of the dye to give resorufin. This process involves the triplet excited state of resazurin and is efficient only in the presence of amino acids containing the -SH group.

Photodegradation of the herbicide Norflurazon sensitised by Riboflavin. A kinetic and mechanistic study.

The kinetics and mechanism of the Riboflavin (Rf)-promoted photochemical degradation with visible light of the herbicide Norflurazon (NF) has been studied by time-resolved and stationary techniques. Using light of wavelength higher than 400 nm--a region where NF is totally transparent--and with concentrations of Rf and NF of ca. 0.02 and 1 mM, respectively, only the excited triplet state of Rf ((3)Rf*) is quenched by NF, in competition with dissolved ground state triplet oxygen, O(2)((3)Sigma(g)(-)). NF degradation mainly occurs by reaction with superoxide radical anion O(2)(-) formed through two electron transfer steps: from NF to (3)Rf*, yielding Rf radical anion, and from this anion to O(2)((3)Sigma(g)(-)), regenerating ground state Rf. Although singlet molecular oxygen is also produced, NF only quenches this oxidative species in a physical mode. The global result is the photoprotection of the sensitiser and the photodegradation of NF.

Mass spectrometric study of the photooxidation of the ophthalmic drugs timolol and pindolol.

A mass spectrometric study of the photooxidation products of the ophthalmic drugs pindolol (1-[1H-indol-4-yloxyl]-3-[isopropylamino]-2-propanol) and timolol (S-[-]-1-[t-butylamino]-3-[(4-morpholino-1,2,5-thiadiazol-3-yl)oxyl]-2-propanol) in water has been performed by LC-MS. Based on these data and the assumption that photooxidation mainly occurs through singlet molecular oxygen attack, a possible reaction mechanism is proposed. The mechanistic pathways involve singlet oxygen attack to the pindolol indole ring and oxidation of the pindolol isopropyl or timolol terbutyl methyl groups.

Kinetic study of the riboflavin-sensitised photooxygenation of two hydroxyquinolines of biological interest.

4-Hydroxyquinoline (4-OHQ) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-OHQ), two compounds of interest because of their bioactivity and their structural relation with bioactive products, are effectively photooxygenated when irradiated with visible light in the presence of riboflavin (Rf) (vitamin B2) in solution in air-saturated water-methanol (9:1). Rf behaves as a dye-sensitiser, since both quinolines are transparent to visible light. 8-OHQ degrades about five times faster than 4-OHQ. Kinetic data obtained through time-resolved and stationary detection of Rf-electronically excited states indicate that a superoxide radical anion-mediated mechanism exclusively operates for 4-OHQ, whereas singlet molecular oxygen--mainly--plus superoxide radical anion is the species that reacts with 8-OHQ. The sensitiser Rf, which is known to photodegrade under visible-light aerobic irradiation, is regenerated in the presence of any of the quinolines through an electron transfer process that produces superoxide radical anion. The overall picture indicates that both quinolines act as sacrificial scavengers of the photogenerated oxygen species, thus preventing the photodegradation of Rf.

The excited-state interaction of resazurin and resorufin with amines in aqueous solutions. Photophysics and photochemical reactions.

The photophysics and photochemical behavior of the phenoxazin-3-one dyes, resazurin and resorufin, have been studied in aqueous solutions. The irradiation of resazurin in the presence of amines leads to deoxygenation of the N-oxide group, giving resorufin. This photoreaction is highly dependent on the amine structure and is efficient only in the presence of tertiary aliphatic amines. The absorption and fluorescence properties of these dyes are dependent on pH. At pH above 7.5 both dyes are in their anionic form. For resorufin this form is highly fluorescent (phiF = 0.75). At lower pH the fluorescence is strongly reduced. The N-oxide dye presents a very weak fluorescence quantum yield (0.11), which also is reduced at low pH. Flash photolysis experiments allowed characterization of the triplet state and the transients formed after irradiation of these dyes in the absence and presence of amines. The triplet quantum yields are 0.08 for resazurin and 0.04 for resorufin. The photodeoxygenation of N-oxide in the presence of amines occurs from the triplet state.

Dark and photoinduced interactions between Trolox, a polar-solvent-soluble model for vitamin E, and riboflavin.

The aerobic riboflavin (Rf)-sensitized visible-light irradiation of Trolox (TX), a polar-solvent-soluble model for vitamin E, has been studied employing stationary photolysis, polarographic detection of oxygen uptake, stationary and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and laser flash photolysis. Results indicate that in methanolic solution, no dark complexation exists between Rf and TX. The latter quenches singlet and triplet states of Rf, with rate constants of 6.2 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) and 4.7 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The photodecomposition of Rf, a known process taking place from triplet Rf, has been found to depend on the concentration of dissolved TX: at >/=30 mM very slight Rf photodecomposition occurs due to the massive quenching of excited singlet Rf, while at TX concentrations < or =1 mM triplet Rf is photogenerated and subsequently quenched either by oxygen, giving rise to O(2)((1)Delta(g)), or by TX, yielding semireduced Rf through an electron transfer process. Complementary experiments performed in pure water employing superoxide dismutase and sodium azide inhibition of the oxygen uptake, in coincidence with flash photolysis data, indicate that superoxide anion and singlet molecular oxygen are generated, likely by the reaction of the anion radical from Rf with dissolved oxygen, also yielding neutral, ground state Rf or by energy transfer from triplet Rf to ground-state oxygen, respectively. The final result is that both TX and Rf are photodegraded, likely through oxidation with activated oxygen species. In the absence of oxygen no degradation of TX can be detected, but Rf photodegradation is favoured because Rf regeneration is avoided.

Exciplex-type behavior and partition of 3-substituted indole derivatives in reverse micelles made with benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride, water and benzene.

The fluorescence properties of 3-methylindole (MI), 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA), 3-indoleethyltrimethylammonium bromide (IETA), L-tryptophan (Trp) and tryptamine hydrochloride (TA) were studied in reverse micelles solutions made with the cationic surfactant benzylhexadecyldimethylammonium chloride (BHDC) in benzene as a function of the molar ratio water/surfactant R (= [H2O]/[BHDC]). The fluorescence quenching of the model compound MI by benzene in cyclohexane solutions and by BHDC in benzene solutions were also studied in detail. The fluorescence of MI in benzene is characteristic of a charge-transfer exciplex. The exciplex is quenched by the presence of BHDC, due to the interactions of the surfactant ion pairs with the polar exciplex. In reverse micelle solutions at low R values, all the indoles show exciplex-type fluorescence. As R increases, the fluorescence behavior strongly depends on the nature of the indole derivative. The anionic IAA remains anchored to the cationic interface and its fluorescence is quenched upon water addition due to the increases of interface's micropolarity. For IETA, TA and Trp an initial fluorescence quenching is observed at increasing R, but a fluorescence recovery is observed at R > 5, indicating a probe partition between the micellar interface and the water pool. For the neutral MI, the fluorescence changes with R indicate the partition of the probe between the micellar interface and the bulk benzene pseudophase. A simple two-site model is proposed for the calculation of the partition constants K as a function of R. In all cases, the calculation showed that even at the highest R value, about 90% of the indole molecules remain associated at the micellar interface.

Effect of aging on cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylation in humans.

In order to investigate the alterations of bile acid synthesis in aging, we studied the rates of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylation, the rate-limiting step, in 28 patients of different ages (34-83 years old, 14 below and 14 above the age of 65) of both sexes. Hydroxylation rates were determined by tritium release assay after an intravenous bolus of [7 alpha-3H]cholesterol. Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylation was significantly decreased in the older age group, compared to middle-aged subjects, both in males and females; moreover, a significant inverse correlation between hydroxylation rates and age was found in the whole sample (r = -0.56; P < 0.01) and in females, but not in males. The percent concentration of deoxycholic acid in plasma (determined by gas-liquid chromatography) was increased in older subjects. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not related with age even though triglyceride concentrations tended to be lower in the older age group. Triglyceride, but not cholesterol levels, were directly correlated with hydroxylation rates (r = 0.45, P < 0.05). After cholestyramine treatment (8-12 g/day for 4 weeks) a sharp increase in 7 alpha-hydroxylation rates was observed in three elderly patients, accompanied by reduced levels of dihydroxylated bile acids. Our data are consistent with a reduced rate of conversion of cholesterol to bile acids with aging, particularly in females, and suggest a coordinate reduction of triglyceride production. Alterations of the quantitative and/or qualitative pattern of the bile acid pool recirculating to the liver may be responsible, at least in part, for the changes observed.

On the O2( (1)Δ g )-mediated photooxidative behaviour of tripeptide glycyl-tyrosyl-alanine in alkaline medium A kinetic study.

The type II singlet molecular oxygen [O2((1)Δ g )]-mediated photo-oxidation of the tripeptide gly-tyr-ala was studied. It has two non-oxidizable amino-acids (gly and ala) bonded to the oxidizable one, tyr. Overall (k t) and reactive (k r) rate constants for the interaction were determined by time-resolved methods (IR emission of O2((1)Δ g )) and stationary photolysis, in water at pH 11.5 as well as in alkaline non-aqueous etOH-MeCN (80:20, v/v, 10 mM in KOH) solutions. An important solvent polarity effect onk t was detected; the rate constant increasing one order of magnitude in going from the organic mixture to water (k t H2O = 2 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)). Nevertheless,k r does not parallel this trend; gly-tyr-ala being less photooxidizable in a more polar environment. The effective quantum yield (∅ r ) forTPE photooxidation is much higher in etOH-MeCN (∅ r = 0.056) than in water (∅ r = 0.023). Results are discussed on the basis of the formation of an exciplex with polar character between the TPE and O2((1)Δ g ).Two remarkable points should be taken into account: a) the rate costants for the interaction of O2((1)Δ g ) with gly-tyr-ala are practically the same as for free tyr. b) New -NH2 groups are generated upon sensitized irradiation. Both findings indicate that the peptide bonds in the TPE break as a result of the photooxidation. A thorough analysis with data for tyrosine and related dipeptides is undertaken.

Endometrial cytology during menstrual cycle, menopause and progestinic treatment.

The AA. examined 72 cytological smears of the human normal endometrium. Twenty-three were taken during the proliferative phase, 17 during the secretory phase, 21 during menopause and 11 during estro-progestinic treatment. The study pointed out that the endometrial smear, which has been employed up to now almost exclusively in the cyto-oncological field, is also quite suitable for a dynamic cyto-functional evaluation of ovarian function, because of the series of interpretative elements, easily and readily identifiable at the microscope, which it furnishes.