Evaluation of firefly luciferase biolurninescence mediated photodynarnic toxicity in cancer cells MOLECULAR IMAGING AND BIOLOGY Schipper, M. L., Patel, M. R., Gambhir, S. S. 2006; 8 (4): 218-225

Abstract

This work investigated whether fLuc-catalyzed oxidation of D-luciferin generates sufficient light to induce photodynamic toxicity in cancer cells.Light emission was assessed via cooled CCD (charge-coupled device) camera. Parental and fLuc expressing cancer cells were exposed to subtoxic concentrations of photosensitizers (Rose Bengal or hypericin) and D-luciferin, sunlight, or lamplight. Toxicity was assessed by MTT assay.fLuc expressing cells emitted up to 500-fold higher levels of photons than parental cell lines. Although exposure to photosensitizer and sunlight reduced survival of various cell lines, survival of fLuc expressing cells incubated with photosensitizer and D-luciferin, or photosensitizer and lamplight, did not differ significantly from parental or untreated cells.Contesting recent reports, fLuc bioluminescence does not generate sufficient photons to induce Rose Bengal or hypericin photodynamic toxicity in a range of malignant and nonmalignant cell lines, and is not suitable as a generalizable approach to antineoplastic therapy.

View details for DOI 10.1007/s11307-006-0048-1

View details for Web of Science ID 000239124800004

View details for PubMedID 16791748