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Differential photodynamic response of cultured cells to methylene blue and toluidine blue: role of dark redox processes

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Abstract

Culturedcells treated with equal concentrations of thiazine photosensitizers methylene blue (MB) or toluidine blue ( TB) showed a distinct photodynamic lethality, with TB being much more effective, when exposed to red light from a LED source. This effect is accounted for because of the differences in the chemical reduction of MB and TB in the intracellular environment. While TB accumulates as blue granular structures, MB does not give such a localization pattern. However, upon exposure of MB-treatedcells to oxidant agents, the dye becomes clearly localized in the cytoplasm as blue granules. We propose that massive reduction of MB to its leuco form inside thecell inhibits most of the photodynamic damage, while no such reduction occurs with TB.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Alfonso Blázquez-Castro, Juan C. Stockert, Francisco Sanz-Rodríguez, Alicia Zamarrón & Angeles Juarranz

  2. Center for Biological Research, High Council of Scientific Research, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Juan C. Stockert

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  1. Alfonso Blázquez-Castro
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  2. Juan C. Stockert
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  3. Francisco Sanz-Rodríguez
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  4. Alicia Zamarrón
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  5. Angeles Juarranz
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Correspondence to Alfonso Blázquez-Castro.

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Blázquez-Castro, A., Stockert, J.C., Sanz-Rodríguez, F. et al. Differential photodynamic response of cultured cells to methylene blue and toluidine blue: role of dark redox processes. Photochem Photobiol Sci 8, 371–376 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1039/b818585a

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