Antibody‐Targeted Photolysis: Bacteriocidal Effects of Sn (IV) Chlorin e₆‐Dextran‐Monoclonal Antibody Conjugates

Antibody-targeted photolysis is a technique for damaging or killing cells using light and an antibody-bound photosensitizer. In the present study, immunoconjugates were constructed to selectively kill Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria using tin (IV) chlorin e6 which was linked to dextran and then bound to the carbohydrate moiety of a monoclonal antibody specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa Fisher type I polysaccharide antigen. Killing of Pseudomonas during mid-log phase growth was shown to be dependent upon light dose with complete bacterial cell killing observed at an irradiation dose of 80 J/cm2. Individual components of the immunoconjugates (e.g., antibody or chlorin alone) showed no bacterial cytotoxicity and immunoconjugates constructed with nonbinding antibodies were also ineffective as cytotoxic agents. These studies demonstrate that killing of gram negative bacteria using photoradiation is feasible and suggest that this methodology may be applicable in treatment of infections in man.