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An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation
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Published on: August 30, 2017

Light-Activated Pharmaceuticals: Mechanisms and Detection

David Kessel1, John Reiners

  • 1Department of Pharmacology Wayne State University School of Medicine Detroit, MI 48201 (USA) phone: +0013135771787 dhkessel@med.wayne.edu.

Israel Journal of Chemistry
|August 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Photodynamic therapy uses light, oxygen, and photosensitizers to treat cancer. This method selectively targets cancer cells, leading to tumor cell death and blood vessel shutdown for an anti-tumor response.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Photochemistry

Background:

  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment modality.
  • PDT utilizes the interaction of light, oxygen, and photosensitizing agents.
  • Photosensitizers, often porphyrin or phthalocyanine derivatives, can selectively accumulate in neoplastic cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanism of photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment.
  • To highlight the role of photosensitizers in tumor targeting and destruction.

Main Methods:

  • Review of the photophysical and photochemical processes involved in PDT.
  • Discussion of photosensitizer localization in tumor cells and vasculature.
  • Explanation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species generation upon irradiation.

Main Results:

  • Irradiation of photosensitizers generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.
  • These reactive species induce direct tumor cell death.
  • PDT leads to the shutdown of tumor vasculature, further contributing to anti-tumor effects.

Conclusions:

  • Photodynamic therapy is an effective cancer treatment strategy.
  • The selective accumulation of photosensitizers and subsequent reactive species generation are key to PDT efficacy.
  • PDT offers a dual mechanism of action: direct tumor cell killing and vascular disruption.
Keywords:
apoptosisautophagyphotodynamic therapyreactive nitrogen speciesreactive oxygen species

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