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Aggregation-Induced Emission Photosensitizers: From Molecular Design to Photodynamic Therapy
Jun Dai1, Xia Wu2, Siyang Ding3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
|February 11, 2020
Summary
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules offer a novel approach to photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Their unique structure enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation for improved cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive treatment for cancers and other diseases, relying on photosensitizers (PSs) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light activation.
- Traditional PSs often aggregate due to π-π stacking, which diminishes their ROS generation efficiency and therapeutic efficacy.
- Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules, characterized by a twisted structure, circumvent aggregation-caused quenching, presenting a new avenue for PS development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in the design of AIE-based photosensitizers (AIE-PSs) for enhanced photodynamic therapy.
- To explore strategies for optimizing AIE-PSs for theranostic applications in cancer treatment.
- To discuss the integration of AIE-PSs with other imaging and therapeutic modalities.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on the design principles of AIE molecules as photosensitizers.
- Analysis of strategies for developing AIE-PSs for cancer theranostics.
- Examination of approaches for combining AIE-PSs with complementary imaging and treatment techniques.
Main Results:
- AIE molecules with twisted configurations effectively suppress intermolecular π-π stacking, leading to enhanced ROS generation compared to traditional planar PSs.
- Tailored AIE-PS designs facilitate desirable theranostic applications, enabling simultaneous imaging and treatment of cancers.
- Combinatorial strategies involving AIE-PSs show promise for synergistic therapeutic outcomes.
Conclusions:
- AIE-based photosensitizers represent a significant advancement in photodynamic therapy, overcoming limitations of traditional PSs.
- Strategic design of AIE-PSs enables effective image-guided cancer treatment and theranostics.
- Future research should focus on further optimizing AIE-PSs and exploring their integration with diverse biomedical applications.
