Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2025
Photodynamic Therapy with Blended Conducting Polymer/Fullerene Nanoparticle Photosensitizers
Published on: October 28, 2015
Two-photon photodynamic therapy with curcumin nanocomposite
Jiacheng Zhou1, Mingmei Ji1, Yuwei Yang1
1Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Ultra-precision Optical Manufacturing, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photonic Structures (Ministry of Education), School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
This study demonstrates that two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT) using modified curcumin (TCS) significantly enhances cancer cell killing and deep tissue penetration compared to traditional methods. TCS shows superior reactive oxygen species generation for improved photodynamic therapy efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Photochemistry
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Traditional photodynamic therapy (PDT) faces limitations in spectral range and bioavailability.
- Curcumin (CUR) modified with TiO2 nanoparticles and Sofast cationic polymer (TCS) shows promise as a photosensitizer.
- Two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT) utilizes near-infrared light for deeper tissue penetration and enhanced ROS generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of TCS as a photosensitizer for TP-PDT.
- To compare the performance of TCS under two-photon excitation with traditional CUR under visible light.
- To evaluate the potential of TP-PDT with TCS for treating deep-seated cancerous lesions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of TiO2-CUR-Sofast (TCS) nanoparticles.
- Evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production under 900 nm two-photon excitation.
- Assessment of phototoxicity against HeLa and T24 cancer cell lines.
- In vitro cell apoptosis and necrosis assays.
- Simulation of deep tissue penetration using pig skin models.
Main Results:
- TCS exhibited 6-7 times higher ROS production compared to CUR at 900 nm.
- TCS demonstrated significantly greater phototoxicity against cancer cells than CUR.
- Approximately 89% of cells treated with TCS under 900 nm light underwent apoptosis/necrosis.
- TP-PDT with TCS showed superior penetration depth in simulated deep tissue compared to single-photon excitation.
Conclusions:
- The two-photon PDT scheme using TCS offers enhanced efficacy and deeper tissue penetration for cancer treatment.
- TCS is a promising photosensitizer for advanced TP-PDT applications, particularly for deep-seated tumors.
- This study provides a foundation for developing effective TP-PDT strategies for challenging cancer cases.
