A thermally activated delayed fluorescence photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy of oral squamous cell carcinoma under low laser intensity

J Mater Chem B. 2021 Jul 21;9(28):5645-5655. doi: 10.1039/d1tb00719j.

Abstract

In this report, a new thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecule [2-(4-triphenylvinyl-phenyl)-anthraquinone (TPE-AQ)] was synthesized. This nanomaterial has satisfactory photostability. Through In vitro analysis, it was found that these TADF nanoparticles (NPs) targeted lysosomes in oral cancer cells. ROS were released under irradiation with a 450-nm laser, and the growth of xenograft tumors in mouse models was inhibited in vivo. More interestingly, radiation exposure caused little damage to normal tissues due to the low irradiation intensity (mA) used in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment of oral cancer. Therefore, these TADF NPs provide new possibilities for the development of new PDT drugs for biomedical applications. In future work, possible functional modifications of TADF NPs for increased potency in clinical applications will be addressed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthraquinones / chemical synthesis
  • Anthraquinones / chemistry
  • Anthraquinones / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemical synthesis
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Fluorescence
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molecular Structure
  • Mouth Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemotherapy*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Singlet Oxygen / analysis
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / drug therapy*
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / metabolism
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / pathology
  • Temperature
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Anthraquinones
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Singlet Oxygen