Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 11, 2025
Facile Preparation and Photoactivation of Prodrug-Dye Nanoassemblies
Published on: February 17, 2023
Dendron-Functionalized Polyglutamate-Pyropheophorbide-a Conjugates as Nanomedicines for Breast Cancer Photodynamic
Wenjia Wang1, Qianfeng Zhang1,2, Zhiqian Li1
1Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Abstract:
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown its promise in the treatment of cancer. Herein, a dendron-functionalized polyglutamic acid (PGA) polymer (PG-L8G-Ppa-Dendron, PGPD) is synthesized and it is conjugated with pyropheophorbide-a (Ppa) for the first time to treat triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), whereas a linear polyglutamate-Ppa conjugate (PGP) is synthesized as a control. Compared to the linear counterpart, the glycosylated polymer-based PGPD with a dendritic structure has excellent solubility and it self-assembles to form uniform-sized nanoparticles. PGPD displays a highly effective PDT effect in the animal model, evidenced with effective induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell apoptosis. This may be due to an enhanced efficiency in delivery and accumulation of Ppa by this glycosylated dendritic polymer at tumor sites. Therefore, PGPD can be a highly effective and biosafe nanoagent for PDT of TNBC.
