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Updated: Apr 24, 2026
An In Vitro Approach to Photodynamic Therapy
Published on: August 17, 2018
Protein microarray for complex apoptosis monitoring of dysplastic oral keratinocytes in experimental photodynamic
Background:
Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment of muco-cutaneous tumors that uses a light source able to photoactivate a chemical compound that acts as a photosensitizer. The phthalocyanines append to a wide chemical class that encompasses a large range of compounds; out of them aluminium-substituted disulphonated phthalocyanine possesses a good photosensitizing potential.
Results:
The destructive effects of PDT with aluminium-substituted disulphonated phthalocyanine are achieved by induction of apoptosis in tumoral cells as assessed by flow cytometry analysis. Using protein microarray we evaluate the possible molecular pathways by which photodynamic therapy activates apoptosis in dysplastic oral keratinocytes cells, leading to the tumoral cells destruction. Among assessed analytes, Bcl-2, P70S6K kinase, Raf-1 and Bad proteins represent the apoptosis related biomolecules that showed expression variations with the greatest amplitude.
Conclusions:
Up to date, the intimate molecular apoptotic mechanisms activated by photodynamic therapy with this type of phthalocyanine in dysplastic human oral keratinocytes are not completely elucidated. With protein microarray as high-throughput proteomic approach a better understanding of the manner in which photodynamic therapy leads to tumoral cell destruction can be obtained, by depicting apoptotic molecules that can be potentially triggered in future anti-tumoral therapies.
Insights
Photodynamic therapy using aluminium-substituted disulphonated phthalocyanine induces apoptosis in oral cancer cells. This study identifies key apoptosis-related proteins, offering insights for future cancer treatments.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Photomedicine
Background:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers an alternative treatment for muco-cutaneous tumors.
- Aluminium-substituted disulphonated phthalocyanine shows potential as a photosensitizer in PDT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular pathways of apoptosis induced by PDT in dysplastic oral keratinocytes.
- To identify key apoptosis-related biomolecules affected by PDT.
Main Methods:
- Utilized photodynamic therapy with aluminium-substituted disulphonated phthalocyanine.
- Employed flow cytometry to assess apoptosis induction.
- Applied protein microarray analysis to evaluate molecular pathways.
Main Results:
- PDT effectively induced apoptosis in tumoral cells.
- Significant expression variations were observed in apoptosis-related proteins: Bcl-2, P70S6K kinase, Raf-1, and Bad.
- Protein microarray identified key molecular players in PDT-induced apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- The precise molecular apoptotic mechanisms of this phthalocyanine-based PDT in oral keratinocytes require further elucidation.
- Protein microarray analysis provides a high-throughput proteomic approach to understand PDT's mechanism of action.
- Identified apoptotic molecules may serve as targets for future anti-tumoral therapies.
