title: Induced cell death pathway post photodynamic therapy using a metallophthalocyanine photosensitizer in breast cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPcSmix) was used as the photosensitizer (PS) in this study to investigate the cell death patterns as a result of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) in vitro using a 680 nm diode laser at a fluence of 5 J/cm(2).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  PDT is a noninvasive form of cancer therapy, successfully applied for the treatment of various cancer types.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow cytometry using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), a cell death immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and gene expression analysis following ZnPcSmix mediated PDT were performed to determine the induced cell death pathways.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The apoptotic cells abounded after the treatment, nuclear fragmentation was seen as oligonucleosomal degradation and increased expression of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), DNA fragmentation factor alpha (DFFA1), and caspase 2 (CASP2) genes, indicated that apoptosis is the main induced mode of cell death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZnPcSmix mediated PDT led to an apoptotic cell death pathway and the PS used showed its ability to stimulate and initiate programmed cell death.
authors.affiliation: Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg , Doornfontein, South Africa.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mfouo-Tynga
authors.forename: Nicolette N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Houreld
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abrahamse
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054833:Isoindoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017967:Zinc Compounds
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D054833:Isoindoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C052159:Zn(II)-phthalocyanine