PORPHYRIN ACCUMULATION BY ATHEROMATOUS PLAQUES OF THE AORTA

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Abstract
A complex mixture of porphyrins termed hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) has been clinically useful for tumor localization. When sections of human aorta containing atheromatous plaques were incubated with HPD, accumulation of fluorescent porphyrin was observed within the plaques. Analytic studies showed that the plaques had accumulated hematoporphyrin (HP), which is substantially more hydrophilic than that HPD fraction generally associated with tumor localization. Fluorescence spectra suggest that the plaque binding sites of HP resemble the relatively aqueous micelles formed by the detergent sodium dodecylsulfate. This result has implications for tumor‐localization procedures, since accumulation of hydrophilic porphyrins by tumors has been reported.