Photodynamic therapy by conjugation of cell-penetrating peptide with fluorochrome.

ABSTRACT: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising alternative therapy that could be used as an adjunct to chemotherapy and surgery for cancer, and works by destroying tissue with visible light in the presence of a photosensitizer (PS) and oxygen. The PS should restrict tissue destruction only to the tumor and be activated by light of a specific wavelength; both of these properties are required. Arginine-rich peptides, such as cell-penetrating peptides, have membrane-translocating and nuclear-localizing activities, which have led to their application in various drug delivery modalities. Protamine (Pro) is an arginine-rich peptide with membrane-translocating and nuclear-localizing properties. The reaction of an N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester of rhodamine (Rho) and clinical Pro was carried out in t

SUBMITTER: Park CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5689026 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature