Nitric oxide release in ruthenium complexes: photophysical and photochemical studies in tailored compounds. Analysis of citotoxicity in vitro and in vivo

• Grant number: 12/50934-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: January 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Agreement: CONICET
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Santana da Silva
• Grantee: Roberto Santana da Silva
• Principal researcher abroad: Leandro Daniel Slep
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Argentina
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 10/11937-5 - Nitrosyl ruthenium-quantum dot compounds as nitric oxide and singlet oxygen producer agents: photochemical, photophysical and cytotoxical aspects, AP.R

Abstract

The research developed in our laboratory (da Silva; USP) involves chemical, photochemical, kinetic, pharmacological and cytotoxic studies of NO donor compounds. We have published several articles involving this subject and among these the first publication reporting the photoinduced electron transfer process for NO release was described in a work by our group. The pursuit of these species is of great interest since there is the possibility of creating a new clinical therapy against cancer, based on light irradiation, the technique known as photodynamic therapy (PDT). Although more studies have been published since our first report, as far as we are aware there are no studies correlating the photochemical, photophysical and cytotoxic activity of compounds that produce NO derivatives by light irradiation. The ongoing project concerns the possibility of releasing nitric oxide (NO) and nitroxyl (HNO) in a controlled manner by photoinduction using ruthenium nitric oxide derivatives compounds. It is expected that using this system we can control NO and HNO release and maybe useful for light irradiation therapy. (AU)