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 tumour photosensitizer.