title: Photodynamic efficacy of photosensitizers under an attenuated light dose via lipid nano-carrier-mediated nuclear targeting.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a treatment for certain malignant-like skin, head and neck, gastrointestinal, and gynecological cancers. The broader acceptance of PDT treatment for large or deep-seated tumors is still hindered, at least in part, by the low photodynamic efficiency of photosensitizers (PS) in the deep-seated tumor environment where the light energy fluency rate is severely attenuated after propagation via skin and/or tissue barriers. In this report, efficient nuclear-targeted intracellular delivery of PS is achieved using an easily fabricated yet entirely biocompatible and inexpensive polysaccharide-functionalized nanoscale lipid carrier, which triggers the intracellular release of photosensitizers inside cancer cells and targets cell nuclear to achieve a significantly enhanced photocytotoxicity. Cancer cells are killed efficiently even under an extremely low light fluency of 1 mW/cm(2) attenuated via an interval meat layer with a thickness of 3 mm. Therefore, this nuclei-targeting system may contribute to the development of a new generation of PS carriers that fight against deep-seated tumors and that exhibit excellent photodynamic efficiency under faint light irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, 43-1 Yokkok2-dong, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon City 420-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Daishun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Byoung-chan
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Wooram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Na
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010316:Particle Size; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D008055:Lipids; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011134:Polysaccharides; D005492:Folic Acid