Production of reactive oxygen species induced by a new [60]fullerene derivative bearing a tetrazole unit and its possible biological applications

The wide range of physical and chemical properties of modified fullerenes has drawn increasing attention in the past few years. As part of this research, this paper describes the preparation, characterization, and photophysical properties of a new fullerene derivative chemically modified with a tetrazole. The photophysical properties were studied by EPR radical spin-trapping technique and showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be produced through UVA photosensitization. EPR spin-trapping experiments with singlet oxygen (O-1(2)) and superoxide (O-2(center dot-)) inhibitors (beta-carotene and superoxide dismutase, respectively) revealed also that: (i) the main ROS produced is O-1(2) and (ii) O-1(2) is being partially dismutated to O-2(center dot-). The results suggest that this derivative can be used in biological applications, as for example, in topic photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a photosensitizer. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.