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“Clicking” Porphyrins to Magnetic Nanoparticles for Photodynamic Therapy
Author(s) -
Thandu Merlyn,
Rapozzi Valentina,
Xodo Luigi,
Albericio Fernando,
Comuzzi Clara,
Cavalli Silvia
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chempluschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.801
H-Index - 61
ISSN - 2192-6506
DOI - 10.1002/cplu.201300276
Subject(s) - photodynamic therapy , porphyrin , amelanotic melanoma , nanoparticle , conjugated system , chemistry , nanotechnology , iron oxide nanoparticles , peptide , biophysics , materials science , melanoma , cancer research , photochemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , medicine , polymer , biology
A method for the preparation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle–porphyrin (SPION‐TPP) conjugates through click chemistry, which can be used as novel theranostic nanoagents for photodynamic therapy is developed. The synthesis, characterisation, and evaluation of the photocytotoxicity profiles of the nanoconjugates prepared is reported. Upon light irradiation, SPION‐TPP nanoconstructs promote a photodynamic effect in vitro in murine amelanotic melanoma B78‐H1 cells, with IC 50 values in the region of 800 n M , similarly to unbound TPP, whereas they remain non‐cytotoxic in the dark. However, these nanoconstructs show poor cellular uptake, which influences a linear dose–response effect. Therefore, the improvement of delivery to cells has also been studied by conjugating a well‐known cell‐penetrating peptide (TAT peptide) to the SPION‐TPP nanoparticles. The new nanoconstructs show lower IC 50 values (in the region of 500 n M ) and a clear dose–response effect. Our results suggest that TAT‐conjugated SPION‐TPP nanoparticles are efficient nanodevices both for tracking drugs by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐based techniques and for treating cancer cells through photodynamic therapy, thus functioning as promising theranostic nanoagents.