Photoimmunoconjugates: novel synthetic strategies to target and treat cancer by photodynamic therapy

Org Biomol Chem. 2019 Mar 6;17(10):2579-2593. doi: 10.1039/c8ob02902d.

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines a photosensitizer (PS) with the physical energy of non-ionizing light to trigger cell death pathways. PDT has potential as a therapeutic modality to be used in alternative or in combination with other conventional cancer treatment protocols (e.g. surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy). Still, due to the lack of specificity of the current PSs to target the tumor cells, several studies have exploited their conjugation with targeting moieties. PSs conjugated with antibodies (Abs) or their fragments, able to bind antigens overexpressed in the tumors, have demonstrated potential in PDT of tumors. This review provides an overview of the most recent advances on photoimmunoconjugates (PICs) for cancer PDT, which involve the first and second-generation PSs conjugated to Abs. This is an update of our previous review "Antibodies armed with photosensitizers: from chemical synthesis to photobiological applications", published in 2015 in Org. Biomol. Chem.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • ErbB Receptors / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / immunology
  • Immunoconjugates / therapeutic use*
  • Light
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / radiation effects
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Photochemotherapy / methods
  • Photosensitizing Agents / radiation effects
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors