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Photodynamic Therapy with Blended Conducting Polymer/Fullerene Nanoparticle Photosensitizers
Published on: October 28, 2015
A GSH-responsive nanophotosensitizer for efficient photodynamic therapy
Wei Pan1, Mingwan Shi1, Yanhua Li1
1College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Nano Probes, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Functionalized Probes for Chemical Imaging in Universities of Shandong, Institute of Molecular and Nano Science, Shandong Normal University Jinan 250014 P. R. China lina@sdnu.edu.cn +86-531-86180017.
Abstract:
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment modality, which depends on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by a photosensitizer to kill cancer cells. The lack of selectivity and the over-production of glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells are the two major challenges for efficient and safe cancer PDT because they can cause harm to normal tissues and eliminate ROS in cancer cells. Herein, we report a GSH-responsive nanophotosensitizer based on CoOOH nanosheets for PDT of cancer. The nanophotosensitizer shows negligible photo-toxicity toward normal cells because of the quenching effect between CoOOH and photosensitizer Ce6. In the presence of overexpressed GSH, Ce6 molecules can be released into cancer cells because of GSH induced degradation of CoOOH nanosheets. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the tumor growth was efficiently inhibited by the CoOOH-based PDT strategy. The current nanophotosensitizer represents a promising smart platform to synergistically improve the therapeutic index and safety of PDT.
Insights
This study introduces a smart nanophotosensitizer for cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT). It addresses challenges in PDT by responding to glutathione (GSH) for targeted cancer cell killing and improved safety.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a promising approach for cancer treatment by utilizing photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS).
- Key challenges in PDT include lack of selectivity and high glutathione (GSH) levels in cancer cells, which can lead to normal tissue damage and ROS scavenging, respectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel GSH-responsive nanophotosensitizer for enhanced cancer PDT.
- To overcome the limitations of conventional PDT by improving selectivity and safety.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a nanophotosensitizer using Cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets and a photosensitizer (Ce6).
- Investigation of the GSH-responsive release mechanism of Ce6 from CoOOH nanosheets.
- Evaluation of the phototoxicity and therapeutic efficacy of the nanophotosensitizer both in vitro and in vivo.
Main Results:
- The nanophotosensitizer exhibited negligible phototoxicity in normal cells due to a quenching effect between CoOOH and Ce6.
- GSH-induced degradation of CoOOH nanosheets facilitated the targeted release of Ce6 within cancer cells.
- Significant inhibition of tumor growth was observed in vivo using the CoOOH-based PDT strategy.
Conclusions:
- The developed GSH-responsive nanophotosensitizer represents a smart platform for cancer PDT.
- This approach synergistically enhances the therapeutic index and safety of PDT by enabling targeted ROS generation and minimizing damage to normal tissues.
