Photodynamic effects of exposure to hematoporphyrin derivatives and dye-laser radiation on human gastric adenocarcinoma cells.

The phototoxicity of hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPD) and dye-laser radiation on adenocarcinoma cells of the human stomach was examined by light and electron microscopy. Adenocarcinoma cells were obtained from human stomach tissue by endoscopic biopsy. The cells were incubated for 5 minutes in the patient's own serum that contained 0.6 mg HPD/ml and then were exposed to dye-laser radiation at 630 nm at an irradiance of 15 mW/cm2. Electron microscopy showed that cytotoxicity was mediated by mitochondrial damage, dilatation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and alterations of the nuclear membrane. The degenerative changes were greater and more frequent in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells than in well-differentiated ones. No marked temperature rise was detected during irradiation. Neither the dye alone nor light alone had any effect. A singlet oxygen-trapping agent, 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran, prevented adenocarcinoma cell degeneration that otherwise would result from exposure to HPD and dye-laser radiation. Thus singlet oxygen may be the cytotoxic agent in this system.