Neutrophils (neutrophil granulocytes) are the most abundant type of white blood cells in mammals, they are an important part of the innate immune system, and are known to be �first responders� to infections and environmental exposure. They also migrate towards tumors, which are known to attract them by chemokines. For instance, all invasive forms of breast cancer naturally attract large numbers of neutrophils, and neutrophils can be found in such tumors early in their genesis. NADPH-oxidase and myeloperoxidase are mainly responsible for generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) in neutrophils.Luminol (5-amino-2,3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazine-dione) is a redox-sensitive heterocycle that emits blue luminescence (lambdamax = 425 nm) when exposed to numerous oxidative agents. The high stability of luminol has rendered it useful in a variety of fields, among them analytical chemistry, biochemistry, clinical diagnostics and forensic sciences for detecting reactive intermediates. Luminol forms stable supramolecular complexes with beta-cyclodextrin, enhancing its solubility in aqueous media and making its chemiluminescence reactions with oxidants independent of pH. It is relatively nontoxic, well absorbed and rapidly excreted upon systemic administration. Luminol is in clinical use to screen neutrophils ex vivo for defects in oxidative metabolism, such as chronic granulomatous disease and MPO deficiency. However, luminol-based bioluminescence can also be used in-vivo to image tumors and to treat tumors and metastases by means of photodynamic therapy. We will discuss imaging and treatment of 4T1 breast cancer in BALB/c mice using luminol-powered bioluminescence.

Photodynamic therapy and tumor imaging without a light source

247th National Meeting (2014)

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