Porphyrinoid-based photosensitizers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications: An update

Abstract

Porphyrin-based molecules are actively studied as dual function theranostics: fluorescence-based imaging for diagnostics and fluorescence-guided therapeutic treatment of cancers. The intrinsic fluorescent and photodynamic properties of the bimodal molecules allows for these theranostic approaches. Several porphyrinoids bearing both hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic units at their periphery have been developed for the aforementioned applications, but better tumor selectivity and high efficacy to destroy tumor cells is always a key setback for their use. Another issue related to their effective clinical use is that, most of these chromophores form aggregates under physiological conditions. Nanomaterials that are known to possess incredible properties that cannot be achieved from their bulk systems can serve as carriers for these chromophores. Porphyrinoids, when conjugated with nanomaterials, can be enabled to perform as multifunctional nanomedicine devices. The integrated properties of these porphyrinoid-nanomaterial conjugated systems make them useful for selective drug delivery, theranostic capabilities, and multimodal bioimaging. This review highlights the use of porphyrins, chlorins, bacteriochlorins, phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines as well as their multifunctional nanodevices in various biomedical theranostic platforms.

Clinical Efficacy of HiPorfin Photodynamic Therapy for Advanced Obstructive Esophageal Cancer

“…[8][9][10] In addition, some photosensitizers target to deep lying cancerous lesions, providing new ideas for the treatment of advanced tumors. 8 This is a retrospective study with fewer cases. Most patients included were advanced or relapsed patients, and therefore, the patients were generally in poor condition and it was difficult for some of them to undergo the combination of PDT and other treatment methods (such as systemic chemotherapy).…”

Ohmic heating-assisted synthesis and characterization of Zn(ii), Cu(ii) and Pd(ii) complexes of heterocyclic-fused chlorins

“…Synthetic strategies to convert porphyrins into dihydroporphyrins (chlorins) have been highly reported in the past few years with the main purpose of exploring their potential application in scientific areas, including photodynamic therapy (PDT). [1][2][3] PDT consists of a non-invasive and well-studied cancer therapy that involves three fundamental elements: a photosensitizer (PS), light with a selected wavelength, and molecular oxygen. The process developed upon irradiation of the PS in the pres-ence of oxygen results in lethal photochemical reactions in target cells and tissues.…”

Application of TD-DFT Theory to Studying Porphyrinoid-Based Photosensitizers for Photodynamic Therapy: A Review

“…Common photosensitizers originate usually from the following classes of molecules: different forms of porphyrins, including benzoporphyrins, hexaphyrins, and sapphyrins; porphyrin precursors—aminolevulinic acid (ALA); chlorins; bacteriochlorins; phthalocyanines; naphtalocyanines; corroles; indocyanine dyes; BODIPY dyes; Ru (II) complexes; Ir(III) complexes; Au (III) complexes; metal–organic frameworks (MOFs); covalent organic frameworks (COFs); hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs); polymers; carbon-based nanomaterials; silicon-based nanomaterials; pure metals; transition metal carbides (TMCs); TiO 2 ; mono- and bimetal oxides; and bimetal sulfides [ 4 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Among them, porphyrinoids have been in use the longest, are the most studied, and are the most widely known.…”

“…Additionally, their structure allows various modifications, such as metalation or substitution of the porphyrin ring, to improve their photophysical properties or to construct biohybrid materials [ 34 ]. In this context, porphyrinoids may also have dual effects as therapeutic and diagnostic agents, e.g., in PET imaging with 64 Cu or in MRI with Gd as a central atom [ 31 ]. Their photodynamic actions are usually exerted via type II photoreactions, i.e., they transfer the excitation energy from the triplet excited state to the oxygen molecule.…”