Photodynamic properties of a bispyrrolecarboxamide-modified hypocrellin B: the role of affinity and ascorbic acid.

The photodynamic properties of a new hypocrellin B (HB) derivative bearing a bispyrrolecarboxamide pendant (HB-Net) were investigated in detail. EPR experiments revealed that the generation ability of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of HB-Net is inferior to that of HB. DNA melting temperature measurements and ethidium bromide (EB) displacement assay illustrated the affinity of HB-Net toward dsDNA as the result of the bispyrrolecarboxamide unit, which is structurally related to the well-known minor groove binder netropsin. The radical generation abilities of HB and HB-Net can be enhanced by ascorbic acid via the photoinduced electron transfer from ascorbic acid to the photosensitizer, however, only the DNA photodamage capability of HB-Net can be improved significantly by ascorbic acid due to the stronger affinity of HB-Net to DNA. Consequently, the combination of HB-Net and ascorbic acid may lead to efficient DNA photodamage even in anaerobic conditions.