A New Light-Sensor System Affecting Cancer Cell Fate.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Biophysics
• Oncology

Background:

• Riboflavin and phosphocholine are physiological molecules with known roles in cellular processes.
• Lysozyme is an enzyme found in various biological contexts, including immune responses.
• Cancer cells exhibit altered expression of molecules like phosphocholine and lysozyme.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel photopolymerizing system involving riboflavin, phosphocholine, and light (RPL).
• To determine the effects of the RPL system on protein photopolymerization, specifically lysozyme (LYZ).
• To evaluate the impact of RPL treatment on cancer cell viability, morphology, and differentiation.

Main Methods:

• In vitro photopolymerization of lysozyme using the riboflavin-phosphocholine-light system.
• Treatment of 2D and 3D cancer cell cultures and nontumoral cells with the RPL system.
• Generation of riboflavin-phosphocholine hydrogels (RPHy and RPHy-LYZ) via light-emitting diode exposure.
• Assessment of cell viability, morphology, aggregation, and differentiation post-treatment.

Main Results:

• The RPL system successfully induced lysozyme photopolymerization in vitro.
• RPL treatment affected cancer cell viability and induced morphological changes and aggregation, dependent on LYZ presence.
• Cancer cell-cell interfaces with phosphocholine and LYZ showed vulnerability to RPL treatment.
• RPHy hydrogels promoted osteoblast-like transdifferentiation of cancer cells, while RPHy-LYZ induced cell death.

Conclusions:

• The RPL system demonstrates significant effects on cancer cell fate through lysozyme photopolymerization.
• Phosphocholine and lysozyme expression at cancer cell interfaces create a targetable vulnerability for photodynamic therapy.
• Generated hydrogels show potential for modulating cancer cell behavior, including transdifferentiation and cell death.
• This research opens avenues for selective cancer therapies utilizing physiological molecules and light activation.