Psoralen-photosensitized damage of rat peritoneal exudate cells

Psoralen-sensitized photodamage (PUVA) of rat peritoneal exudate cells was investigated. Quartz-activated luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (ChL) was registered and the amount of trypan-positive cells was determined. Irradiation of peritoneal exudate cells in the presence of psoralen resulted in a dose-dependent monotonous inhibition of ChL. The reciprocity law of irradiation intensity and duration of irradiation was not valid for the observed inhibition of ChL: the inhibition increased with higher intensity. When psoralen previously photooxidized in ethanol (POP) was added to peritoneal exudate cell suspension, a double-phase response depending on psoralen irradiation dose was obtained: ChL activation was observed at low doses of UVA, ChL inhibition at high doses. Chemiluminescence inhibition correlated well with the increase in the number of trypan-positive cells. It may be supposed that the observed effects of PUVA or POP treatment are caused by cell cytoplasmic membrane damage.