title: Nanoparticles improve biological functions of phthalocyanine photosensitizers used for photodynamic therapy.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new technology using photodynamic effect for disease diagnosis and treatment. It is a two-step technique involving the uptake of a photosensitizer by cancer tissue followed by light irradiation that excites the photosensitizer to produce highly reactive oxygen species, the latter execute apoptosis of cancerous cells. As a second-generation of photosensitizers, phthalocyanine demonstrates higher absorption in the 650-800 nm range and short tissue accumulation compared to their first generation. However, many potent phthalocyanine photosensitizers are hydrophobic and poorly water-soluble, which limit their therapeutic applications. As a result, advanced delivery systems and different strategies are called for to improve the effectiveness of PDT. Facts have proved that using nanoparticles as carries of photosensitizers is a very promising route. Nanoparticles have the potentials to increase photosensitizers' aqueous solubility, bioavailability and stability, and deliver photosensitizers to the target tissues. This article reviewed the commonly-used nanoparticles, including colloid gold, quantum dots, paramagnetic nanoparticles, silica-based materials, polymer-based nanoparticles, as potential delivery systems for phthalocyanine photosensitizers, and summarized the improved biological functions of phthalocyanine photosensitizers in PDT.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Research on Functional Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D054833:Isoindoles; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D054833:Isoindoles; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011108:Polymers; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006046:Gold; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium; C013647:phthalocyanine