Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 8, 1707-1711,
August 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
High efficacy of photodynamic therapy on rat endometrium after systemic administration of benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A
1 Department of Pathology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, 3 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Geneva, 4 Fondation pour Recherches Médicales, University of Geneva, 5 Department of Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospital and 6 Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland
7 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Geneva University Hospital, 30 Boulevard de la Cluse, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. e-mail: Attila.Major{at}hcuge.ch
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the benzoporphyrin derivative monoacid ring A (verteporfin)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) on rat endometrium and to determine the optimal drug concentration for endometrial ablation. METHODS: Five minutes after i.v. injection of different concentrations of verteporfin into 24 female Sprague–Dawley rats, 630 nm light treatment was delivered for 500 s (120 J/cm2) to the left horn of the uterus. The 24 rats were divided into six groups according to the drug dose injected, four rats per group: group I (2 mg/kg), group II (1 mg/kg), and groups III, IV, V and VI with 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.0625 mg/kg respectively. Four days later, the rat uteri were analysed by light microscopy. RESULTS: Endometrial destruction was seen in all six groups, with the most significant result in group I (P < 0.008). Conservation of the myometrium was most significant in groups III, IV, V and VI. Acute inflammatory cells in the stromal endometrium were recorded mainly in groups I and II. However, the drug dosage that was most significant in destroying the glands with conservation of the myometrium and not causing severe inflammation was between 0.5 and 0.125 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: Verteporfin was effective in endometrial ablation in all our animal groups, and the dose range of 0.5–0.125 mg/kg appeared to be adequate. This observation will have to be scaled for clinical application.
Key words: BDP/endometrial ablation/PDT/rat model