Low Blue Dose Photodynamic Therapy with Porphyrin-Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Complexes: In Vitro Study on Human Melanoma Cells

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness in photodynamic therapy of iron oxide nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3 NPs), synthesized by laser pyrolysis technique, functionalized with 5,10,15,20-(Tetra-4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin tetraammonium (TPPS) on human cutaneous melanoma cells, after only 1 min blue light exposure. The efficiency of porphyrin loading on the iron oxide nanocarriers was estimated by using absorption and FTIR spectroscopy. The singlet oxygen yield was determined via transient characteristics of singlet oxygen phosphorescence at 1270 nm both for porphyrin functionalized nanoparticles and rose bengal used as standard. The irradiation was performed with a LED (405 nm, 1 mW/cm2) for 1 min after melanoma cells were treated with TPPS functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3 NPs_TPPS) and incubated for 24 h. Biological tests revealed a high anticancer effect of γ-Fe2O3 NPs_TPPS complexes indi-cated by the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, reduction of cell adhesion, and induction of cell death through ROS generated by TPPS under light exposure. The biological assays were combined with the pharmacokinetic prediction of the porphyrin.

Applications of Metallic Nanoparticles in the Skin Cancer Treatment

“…Predicted toxicity experiments exhibited the compound potential safety, needing further testing. In addition, the low binding energy between pro-caspase-3 and TPPS indicated a possible tendency of TPPS to inactivate caspase [ 120 ].…”

Target Prediction of 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4′-Sulfonatophenyl)-Porphyrin Using Molecular Docking

“…Generation of ROS for γ-Fe2O3 NPs TPPS is higher than in the case of TPPS alone due to the capacity of NPs to transport the photosensitizer intracellular [9].…”

“…In a prior study, we concluded that 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4'-sulfonatophenyl)-porphyrin tetraammonium (TPPS) is an effective photosensitiser [9]. We explored the mechanisms that cause apoptosis in the Mel-Juso melanoma cell line after incubation with TPPSfunctionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (γ-Fe2O3 NPs TPPS) followed by irradiation, and we came to the following conclusions: First, caspase-3 is active, and pro-caspase-3 levels are reduced, implying that apoptosis is being initiated.…”

“…Third, the decrease in β-catenin protein levels may contribute to apoptosis induction, proliferation suppression, and cell adhesion reduction [9].…”

“…Abnormal levels of β-catenin are linked to various malignancies, including melanoma. β-catenin inhibition may slow tumour growth [9,20]. Fas is a cell surface death receptor involved in PDT; some studies indicate that this receptor is overexpressed after PDT [11,21].…”