title: A new X-ray activated nanoparticle photosensitizer for cancer treatment.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted ever-growing attention as a promising modality in the treatment of cancer. However, due to the poor tissue penetration by light, PDT has rarely been applied for treating deep-seated tumors. This problem can be solved if photosensitizers are activated by X-rays, which are able to penetrate deeply into tissues. Previous attempts using X-rays to activate photosensitizers were not very successful, since the traditional PDT photosensitizers could not efficiently be activated with X-rays. Here we exploit copper-cysteamine complex (Cu-Cy) nanoparticles as a new type of photosensitizer activated by X-ray for cancer treatment. The newly invented Cu-Cy nanoparticles can be activated directly by X-rays to produce singlet oxygen. In vitro and in vivo study on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) have shown significant cell destruction using Cu-Cy nanoparticles under X-ray activation. The Cu-Cy nanoparticles are a novel and potent X-ray activated photosensitizer which can enable PDT for deep cancer treatment.
authors.forename: Lun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiaoju
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D003538:Cystamine / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D014965:X-Rays; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D003300:Copper; D003538:Cystamine