This proposal seeks to develop a novel class of ruthenium (Ru) compounds that can be activated with light to eliminate primary tumors, inhibit disseminated disease, and prevent recurrence. It is hypothesized that light- responsive prodrugs with these capabilities will be of use in the development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for treating melanoma. PDT is an underutilized, niche cancer treatment modality that combines light and a photosensitizer (PS) to create cytotoxic singlet oxygen for destroying tumors and tumor vasculature. Although commonly thought of as a local treatment, PDT has been known to stimulate anti-tumor immunity, which is crucial for controlling metastatic disease and subsequent tumor regrowth. PDT relies heavily on the presence of oxygen to exert its antitumor effects, and the PSs approved for PDT are generally organic compounds that are activated with red light. In order for PDT to be maximally effective toward melanoma, it would be advantageous to develop PSs that can function well in hypoxic tissue with wavelengths of light that are least attenuated by the melanin in pigmented melanomas (650-850 nm). If such agents could be incorporated into regimens that stimulate antitumor immunity, PDT might offer new treatment options for highly recurrent cancers such as melanoma, where chemotherapy and radiotherapy do not work. We previously developed very potent metal-based PSs that combine Ru and ?-expansive ligands to yield systems that create cytotoxic reactive oxygen species even at low oxygen tension due to their long excited state lifetimes and large bimolecular quenching rates. Separately, we developed osmium (Os)-based PSs that absorb light at wavelengths longer than 800 nm and can generate a modest PDT effect with this low-energy light even in hypoxic tissue. This proposal will combine the best features of the Ru (potency) and Os (activation >800 nm) PSs to yield new Ru metal complexes that are designed to elicit a strong PDT effect with near-infrared light in hypoxic tissue using increasingly more sophisticated melanoma models. Coordination chemistry will be used to generate a library of modular 3D compounds that can be subsequently modified to produce structurally diverse families. The photophysical and photochemical properties of these new compounds will be fully explored, and they will be assessed for their diagnostic potential and PDT effects using 2D cell and 3D tumor spheroid melanoma models. Promising candidates will be selected for MTD determination and PDT studies in two mouse melanoma models. PSs that are PDT-active and nontoxic to mice will be probed for their abilities to induce antitumor immunity through tumor rechallenge experiments. Finally, the immunological aspects of favorable PDT responses in mice will be investigated using both in vitro and in vivo techniques, and the PDT regimen will be explored and optimized for maximizing both local tumor control and stimulating antitumor immunity. This project will introduce novel PSs for melanoma PDT and will expand fundamental knowledge of metal complex chemistry, photophysics, and therapeutic properties.

Public Health Relevance

Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 25-30 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women ages 30-35. Because there are no curative therapies for invasive or advanced melanoma, there is an urgent need for new and innovative strategies for treating this disease and preventing recurrence. This proposal seeks to develop nontoxic ruthenium compounds that can be ?turned on? by light to kill even the most aggressive melanomas and offer long-term protection against recurrence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA222227-05
Application #
10114225
Study Section
Radiation Therapeutics and Biology Study Section (RTB)
Program Officer
Ahmed, Mansoor M
Project Start
2018-03-06
Project End
2023-02-28
Budget Start
2021-03-01
Budget End
2022-02-28
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2021
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Arlington
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
064234610
City
Arlington
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
76019
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Ghosh, Goutam; Belh, Sarah J; Chiemezie, Callistus et al. (2018) S,S-Chiral Linker Induced U Shape with a Syn-facial Sensitizer and Photocleavable Ethene Group. Photochem Photobiol :
Liu, Bingqing; Monro, Susan; Lystrom, Levi et al. (2018) Photophysical and Photobiological Properties of Dinuclear Iridium(III) Bis-tridentate Complexes. Inorg Chem 57:9859-9872
Ghosh, Goutam; Colón, Katsuya L; Fuller, Anderson et al. (2018) Cyclometalated Ruthenium(II) Complexes Derived from ?-Oligothiophenes as Highly Selective Cytotoxic or Photocytotoxic Agents. Inorg Chem 57:7694-7712
Monro, Susan; Colón, Katsuya L; Yin, Huimin et al. (2018) Transition Metal Complexes and Photodynamic Therapy from a Tumor-Centered Approach: Challenges, Opportunities, and Highlights from the Development of TLD1433. Chem Rev :