The photophysicochemical properties and photodynamic therapy activity of In and Zn phthalocyanines when incorporated into individual or mixed Pluronic® micelles

Preparation, Structural Characterization of Anti-Cancer Drugs-Mediated Self-Assembly from the Pluronic Copolymers through Synchrotron SAXS Investigation

Chemotherapy drugs are mainly administered via intravenous injection or oral administration in a very a high dosage. If there is a targeted drug vehicle which can be deployed on the tumor, the medical treatment is specific and precise. Binary mixing of biocompatible Pluronic^® F127 and Pluronic^® L121 was used in this study for a drug carrier of pluronic biomedical hydrogels (PBHs). Based on the same PBH ingredients, the addition of fluorouracil (5-FU) was separated in three ways when it was incorporated with pluronics: F127-L121-(5-FU), F127-(5-FU), and L121-(5-FU). Small angle X-ray scattering experiments were performed to uncover the self-assembled structures of the PBHs. Meanwhile, the expected micelle and lamellar structural changes affected by the distribution of 5-FU were discussed with respect to the corresponding drug release monitoring. PBH-all with the mixing method of F127-L121-(5-FU) has the fastest drug release rate owing to the undulated amphiphilic boundary. In contrast, PBH-2 with the mixing method of L121-(5-FU) has a prolonged drug release rate at 67% for one month of the continuous drug release experiment because the flat lamellar amphiphilic boundary of PBH-2 drags the migration of 5-FU from the hydrophobic core. Therefore, the PBHs developed in the study possess great potential for targeted delivery and successfully served as a microenvironment model to elucidate the diffusion pathway of 5-FU.

Photophysical Properties of Linked Zinc Phthalocyanine to Acryloyl Chloride:N-vinylpyrrolidone Copolymer

This paper focuses on the linking of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) to N-vinylpyrrolidone (N-VP): acryloyl chloride (ClAC) copolymer. The synthesis of binary N-VP:ClAC copolymer was performed by the radical polymerization method and then grafted to ZnPc by the Friedel Crafts acylation reaction. We have developed a water-soluble ZnPc:ClAC:N-VP photosensitizer with a narrow absorption band at 970 nm, fluorescence at λ_em = 825 nm and the decay fluorescence profile with 3-decay relatively longer times of 1.2 µs, 4.6 µs, and 37 µs. The concentration-dependent dark cytotoxicity investigated in normal fibroblasts (NHDF), malignant melanoma (MeWo), adenocarcinoma (HeLa), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines incubated to increased concentrations of ZnPc:ClAC:N-VP (up to 40 μM) for 24 h in the dark show low cytotoxicity. Maximum cell viability in HeLa and HepG2 tumor cell lines was observed.

Recent Progress in Phthalocyanine-Polymeric Nanoparticle Delivery Systems for Cancer Photodynamic Therapy

This perspective article summarizes the last decade’s developments in the field of phthalocyanine (Pc)-polymeric nanoparticle (NP) delivery systems for cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT), including studies with at least in vitro data. Moreover, special attention will be paid to the various strategies for enhancing the behavior of Pc-polymeric NPs in PDT, underlining the great potential of this class of nanomaterials as advanced Pcs’ nanocarriers for cancer PDT. This review shows that there is still a lot of research to be done, opening the door to new and interesting nanodelivery systems.