NIR C-Myc Pu22 G-quadruplex probe as a photosensitizer for bioimaging and antitumor study

Abstract

Despite the fact that C-Myc G-quadruplex in the oncogene promoter regions is one of the crucial targets of antitumor drugs, the selectivities and proliferation inhibitions of its probes towards tumor cells remain a big challenge. Until now, no effective C-Myc G-quadruplex probes have been reported as a photosensitizer to increase their antitumor activities. Here, the first NIR C-Myc G-quadruplex probe PDS-SQ has been designed, comprising a G-quadruplex binder PDS and a squaraine dye SQ as a photosensitizer. Conjugate PDS-SQ could selectively NIR image C-Myc Pu22 G-quadruplex in tumor cells, and show stronger antitumor activity in the irradiation by a chemo-photodynamic method than in the dark. The study provides a new way to develop the novel NIR C-Myc G-quadruplex probes with more potent antitumor activities.

Keywords: Bisquinolinium-squaraine dye conjugate; C-Myc Pu22 G-quadruplex probe; Chemo-photodynamic antitumor; NIR imaging; Photosensitizer.