Tuning the Nanoaggregates of Sialylated Biohybrid Photosensitizers for Intracellular Activation of the Photodynamic Response.

ABSTRACT: In the endeavor of extending the clinical use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of superficial cancers and other neoplastic diseases, deeper knowledge and control of the subcellular processes that determine the response of photosensitizers (PS) are needed. Recent strategies in this direction involve the use of activatable and nanostructured PS. Here, both capacities have been tuned in two dendritic zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) derivatives, either asymmetrically or symmetrically substituted with 3 and 12 copies of the carbohydrate sialic acid (SA), respectively. Interestingly, the amphiphilic ZnPc-SA biohybrid (1) self-assembles into well-defined nanoaggregates in aqueous solution, facilitating cellular internalization and transport whereas the PS remains inactive. Within th

SUBMITTER: Almeida-Marrero V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8360122 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature