Thermosensitive porphyrin-incorporated hydrogel with four-arm PEG-PCL copolymer (II): doxorubicin loaded hydrogel as a dual fluorescent drug delivery system for simultaneous imaging tracking in vivo

Abstract

Visualization of a drug delivery system could reveal the pharmacokinetic properties, which is essential for the design of a novel drug delivery system. In vivo optical imaging offers an advanced tool to monitor the drug release process and the therapeutic effect by the combination of fluorescence imaging and bioluminescence imaging. Multispectral fluorescence imaging can separate the drug and the carrier without interference. Herein, a dual fluorescent anti-tumor drug delivery system was monitored with the doxorubicin-loaded hydrogel to further explore the application of the porphyrin-incorporated hydrogel with four-arm PEG-PCL copolymer as a drug carrier, based on the beneficial fluorescence and good biocompatibility of the porphyrin incorporated hydrogel. Using nude mice bearing luciferase expressed hepatic tumor as models, the whole process from the drug delivery to the tumor therapeutic effects were real time visualized simultaneously after administration at interval from 0 to 18 d. The imaging results suggest that the fluorescence signals of the drug and the carrier can be separated and unmixed from the drug-loaded hydrogel successfully, avoiding the interference of the fluorescence signals. The tumor growth or inhibition can be real time tracked and analyzed quantitatively by bioluminescence imaging. Noninvasive continuous tracking the in vivo drug delivery process simultaneously is a potential trend for the precise drug delivery and treatment.

Investigation of the transport and absorption of Angelica sinensis polysaccharide through gastrointestinal tract both in vitro and in vivo

“…Fluorescent dyes conjugated the drug to produce optical probes used in vivo and ex vivo. This technology is relatively safe, low cost, and noninvasive (Dong et al, 2017). However, compared with none-infrared fluorescent dyes, infrared fluorescent dyes correspond to low photon absorption and auto fluorescence in tissues, which not only can obtain effective imaging of macromolecules both in vitro and in vivo, especially in deep tissues, but also can track and monitor macromolecules in the body with higher sensitivity and specificity (Mizukami, 2017).…”

Emerging Applications of Porphyrins and Metalloporphyrins in Biomedicine and Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging

“…In the last few decades, researchers have expanded the use of porphyrin-based compounds for medical, drug delivery, bio-sensing, and bio-imaging purposes [14,15]. Porphyrin-based molecules have been pioneering theranostic agents not only for MRI, and photodynamic cancer therapy but also for drug delivery and single cell imaging [16,17,18,19]. Moreover, these compounds have potential applications as chemosensors [20].…”

“…Moreover, these compounds have potential applications as chemosensors [20]. Dong et al [18] explored the application of the porphyrin-incorporated hydrogel with four arm-copolymer as promising drug carrier system. The clinical applications based on photophysical properties are embedded in the aromatic macrocyclic structure of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins [1].…”

Dibutyltin(IV) and Tributyltin(IV) Derivatives of meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine Inhibit the Growth and the Migration of Human Melanoma Cells

“…Moreover, the ligand molecules of the organotin(IV) complexes, modifying the reactivity, the lipophilicity, the configuration and the molecular structure of the complexes and therefore their binding activity and functions, play a significant role in modulating the anti-tumour activity of the organotin(IV) moieties [12,17]. In particular, porphyrins and porphyrin-based compounds are some interesting ligands for organotin(IV) moieties, due not only to the property of the porphyrin to accumulate and to be retained by a variety of malignant lesions [18], but also their function as drug delivery systems [19], bio-sensing and bio-imaging molecules [20]. Indeed, the organotin(IV) complexes have different mechanisms of action on different cancer cells and induce tumour cell death in a concentration dependent manner [21,22].…”