Multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles to enhance photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodynamic inactivation (PDI) efficacy

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodynamic inactivation (PDF) are innovative, minimally invasive therapies that have great potential for cancer and antimicrobial treatment, respectively. PDT and PDI are currently used for a wide variety of cancer treatment and infectious diseases including the cancer of the oesophagous, papillary bladder, lung and non-melanoma, onychomycosis, condyloma by Human papillomavirus (HPV), and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Both therapies, PDT and PDI, involve the administration of a photosensitizer (PS) agent, followed by irradiation at an appropriate wavelength and intensity of light. Upon successful activation via light energy transfer, the PS will trigger the singlet oxygen (02) dependent, tumor ablative photodynamic reaction. The PS is perhaps the most critical component of POT and continues to be an area of intense scientific research. Traditionally, PSs such as porphyrins, curcumins and phthalocyanines have dominated the field.17However, these PS agents have several drawbacks such as low water solubility, poor light absorption, cutaneous photosensitivity, and reduced selectivity for targeted tissues and microorganisms. Recent work has focused on encapsulating PS In nanocarriers designed to solve these issues. The development of novel targeted PS delivery systems that carry a high payload of PS, and that can be degraded selectively upon specific conditions will result in to a more effective, safe and selective PDT/PDI response. We hypothesize that hybrid nanoparticles with large loading of PSs. stimuli-responsive and target-specific properties can be designed to improve the efficacy of PDT/PDI methods. The long term goal of the proposed collaboration is to develop multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles to enhance the therapeutic efficacy for cancer and antimicrobial treatment using PDT and P01. (AU)