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Updated: Jun 8, 2025
Photodynamic Therapy with Blended Conducting Polymer/Fullerene Nanoparticle Photosensitizers
Published on: October 28, 2015
Azobenzene-Tagged Photopeptides Exhibiting Excellent Selectivity and Light-Induced Cytotoxicity in MCF-7 Cells over
Sambit Pradhan1, Surajit Sarker1, Pakkirisamy Thilagar1
1Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, INDIA.
None:
The precise regulation of proteasome activity has become a focal point in current research, particularly its implications in cancer treatment. Bortezomib is used for treating multiple myeloma and is found to be ineffective against solid tumors. A spatiotemporal control over the proteasome is one of the solutions to resolve these issues using external stimuli, such as light. Thus, we designed and synthesized azobenzene-containing tripeptide vinyl sulfones 1, 2, 3, and 4, as the azobenzene moiety can impart E↔Z isomerism upon exposure to UV light. Further, the hydrophobicity of these peptides was fine-tuned by systematically varying the size of hydrophobic amino acids at the P1, P2, and P3 positions. The light-induced Z isomers of these photopeptides showed excellent cellular potency in HeLa, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines. Photopeptide 4 with valine at the proximal position, phenylalanine at P2, and leucine at the P1 positions exhibited 19.3- and 6.6-fold cellular potency in MCF-7 and A549 cells, respectively.
