Direct measurement of singlet oxygen by using a photomultiplier tube-based detection system.

The effective dosimetry for photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be specified by direct measurement of singlet oxygen ((1)O2) production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a newly developed photomultiplier tube (PMT)-based singlet oxygen detection (SOD) system. The lowest and highest (1)O2 concentrations detectable by the PMT-SOD system were 15nM and 10μM, respectively. Dose-dependent quenching, by NaN3, of the fluorogenic reaction was observed, which was negatively correlated with the (1)O2 level measured by the PMT-SOD system. The lifetime of (1)O2, as measured by the PMT-SOD system, was found to be lengthened when H2O was replaced with deuterium oxide. (1)O2 photon counts were significantly and dose-dependently correlated with intracellular fluorescence intensity after photosensitizer treatments. In vitro cell viability test and in vivo xenografted-tumor mass shrinkage showed a positive association between PDT-induced cytotoxicity and (1)O2 production concomitantly measured by the PMT-SOD system. It was concluded that the PMT-SOD system is capable of measuring (1)O2 production directly and accurately, demonstrating that this system can be useful in the determination of dosimetry for PDT.