Heavy-Atom-Free Aza-BODIPY Polymeric Nanoparticles for Theranostic-Guided Photodynamic Cancer Therapy.

ABSTRACT: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) presents a noninvasive method for cancer treatment, characterized by high spatial selectivity and reduced side effects. However, conventional photosensitizers containing heavy atoms often pose risks of cellular toxicity, limiting their clinical translation. To address this, we developed a heavy-atom-free aza-BODIPY derivative (AB-OH) with a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) structure, conjugated to poly(ethylene glycol)-succinic acid (mPEG-SA) to form amphiphilic mPEG-SA-AB. This conjugate self-assembles into stable nanoparticles (NPs) that can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and produce mild heat upon irradiation with 660 nm red light from an LED. In vitro studies on 4T1 breast cancer cells revealed that mPEG-SA-AB NPs maintain high

SUBMITTER: Muangsopa P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442087 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature