A fluorescence-activatable tumor-reporting probe for precise photodynamic therapy

J Mater Chem B. 2021 Jul 28;9(29):5829-5836. doi: 10.1039/d1tb00704a.

Abstract

Approaches that could enable precise photodynamic therapy (PDT) are of therapeutic potential. We herein report a trifunctional probe (Glu-RdEB) that could be activated to generate fluorescent rhodamine species to pinpoint tumor foci. The probe contains a γ-glutaminyl moiety cleavable to γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) overexpressed in multiple tumors, an entity of an ENBS photosensitizer for PDT, and an entity of rhodamine fluorescently quenched by ENBS. Upon activation by tumor-associated GGT, the probe releases highly fluorescent rhodamine that is selectively confined in tumors whereby light irradiation leads to effective tumor regression in mice. These results indicate the feasibility of a fluorescently quenched dye-photosensitizer pair to yield tumor-activatable fluorescence to direct PDT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemical synthesis
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology*
  • Glioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Glioma / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Optical Imaging
  • Photochemotherapy*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Photosensitizing Agents