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Updated: May 26, 2026

Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles
Published on: December 1, 2016
Cancer therapy improvement with mesoporous silica nanoparticles combining targeting, drug delivery and PDT
Magali Gary-Bobo1, Ouahiba Hocine, David Brevet
1Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Faculté de Pharmacie, 34093, Montpellier, France.
Abstract:
The synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) covalently encapsulating fluoresceine or a photosensitizer, functionalized with galactose on the surface is described. Confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that the uptake of galactose-functionalized MSN by colorectal cancer cells was mediated by galactose receptors leading to the accumulation of the nanoparticles in the endosomal and lysosomal compartments. The MSN functionalized with a photosensitizer and galactose were loaded with the anti-cancer drug camptothecin. Those MSN combining drug delivery and photodynamic therapy were tested on three cancer cell lines and showed a dramatic enhancement of cancer cell death compared to separate treatments.
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