Synthesis and Biological Uses of A₃B Type Water-Soluble Phthalocyanine Alternate to Alcian Blue

This study describes the synthesis and characterization of new non-symmetric cationic phthalocyanine derivatives and their capability for use in staining of microscopic normal and pathological tissue sections, polyacrylamide gel staining, and spectrophotometric analyses. These new synthesized compounds have specifically stained the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the matrix of cartilage tissue of the trachea. In addition, the mucus produced by the stomach, the small intestine and the colon tissue were stained with non-symmetrical cationic phthalocyanines comparable to the Alcian Blue 8GX. In addition, the determination of GAGs and glycoproteins in polyacrylamide gels has also been evaluated. Besides, the usage of these compounds to spectrophotometrically measure GAGs in biological fluids was also investigated. We have found that 6 and 7 are good alternatives to Alcian Blue 8GX due to comparable staining performance and interaction with biological molecules, especially acidic components such as acidic GAGs and mucin. These dyes have good solubility with quaternary ammonium groups effecting their binding performance to biological molecules.