PHOTODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF MESO-TETRA(4-SULFONATOPHENYL)PORPHINE ON HUMAN LEUKEMIA-CELLS HEL AND HL60, HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES AND BONE-MARROW PROGENITOR CELLS

Meso-tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS4), in combination with a l ight dose of 14 J cm(-2), has a profound negative effect on the prolif eration and viability of leukemia cells HL60 (human promyelocytic leuk emia) and HEL (human erythroleukemia), the viability of normal lymphoc ytes and the colony-forming activity of human bone marrow progenitor c ells. However, normal leukocytes (monocytes, granulocytes) are, to a l arge extent, resistant to photodynamic treatment (PDT). Whilst DNA fra gmentation suggesting apoptosis is induced in HL60 cells, accumulation in the interphase of the cell cycle (G(0)/G(1), G(2)/M) is mainly ope rative in the TPPS4-mediated PDT of HEL cells. The ''dark'' effect of TPPS4 on the cell viability is below 15% up to a concentration of 40 m u M. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.