Synthesis, Tumor Specificity, and Photosensitizing Efficacy of Erlotinib-Conjugated Chlorins and Bacteriochlorins: Identification of a Highly Effective Candidate for Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer

A first-in-class β-glucuronidase responsive conjugate for selective dual targeted and photodynamic therapy of bladder cancer

In this report, we present a novel prodrug strategy that can significantly improve the efficiency and selectivity of combined therapy for bladder cancer. Our approach involved the synthesis of a conjugate based on a chlorin-e6 photosensitizer and a derivative of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor cabozantinib, linked by a β-glucuronidase-responsive linker. Upon activation by β-glucuronidase, which is overproduced in various tumors and localized in lysosomes, this conjugate released both therapeutic modules within targeted cells. This activation was accompanied by the recovery of its fluorescence and the generation of reactive oxygen species. Investigation of photodynamic and dark toxicity in vitro revealed that the novel conjugate had an excellent safety profile and was able to inhibit tumor cells proliferation at submicromolar concentrations. Additionally, combined therapy effects were also observed in 3D models of tumor growth, demonstrating synergistic suppression through the activation of both photodynamic and targeted therapy.

Molecular engineering of AIE-active boron clustoluminogens for enhanced boron neutron capture therapy

The development of boron delivery agents bearing an imaging capability is crucial for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), yet it has been rarely explored. Here we present a new type of boron delivery agent that integrates aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active imaging and a carborane cluster for the first time. In doing so, the new boron delivery agents have been rationally designed by incorporating a high boron content unit of a carborane cluster, an erlotinib targeting unit towards lung cancer cells, and a donor-acceptor type AIE unit bearing naphthalimide. The new boron delivery agents demonstrate both excellent AIE properties for imaging purposes and highly selective accumulation in tumors. For example, at a boron delivery agent dose of 15 mg kg-1, the boron amount reaches over 20 μg g-1, and both tumor/blood (T/B) and tumor/normal cell (T/N) ratios reach 20-30 times higher than those required by BNCT. The neutron irradiation experiments demonstrate highly efficient tumor growth suppression without any observable physical tissue damage and abnormal behavior in vivo. This study not only expands the application scopes of both AIE-active molecules and boron clusters, but also provides a new molecular engineering strategy for a deep-penetrating cancer therapeutic protocol based on BNCT.

Photodynamic Therapy: From the Basics to the Current Progress of N-Heterocyclic-Bearing Dyes as Effective Photosensitizers

Photodynamic therapy, an alternative that has gained weight and popularity compared to current conventional therapies in the treatment of cancer, is a minimally invasive therapeutic strategy that generally results from the simultaneous action of three factors: a molecule with high sensitivity to light, the photosensitizer, molecular oxygen in the triplet state, and light energy. There is much to be said about each of these three elements; however, the efficacy of the photosensitizer is the most determining factor for the success of this therapeutic modality. Porphyrins, chlorins, phthalocyanines, boron-dipyrromethenes, and cyanines are some of the N-heterocycle-bearing dyes' classes with high biological promise. In this review, a concise approach is taken to these and other families of potential photosensitizers and the molecular modifications that have recently appeared in the literature within the scope of their photodynamic application, as well as how these compounds and their formulations may eventually overcome the deficiencies of the molecules currently clinically used and revolutionize the therapies to eradicate or delay the growth of tumor cells.

Synthesis and Biological Properties of EGFR-Targeted Photosensitizer Based on Cationic Porphyrin

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) in oncology is characterized by low invasiveness, minimal side effects, and little tissue scarring. Increasing the selectivity of PDT agents toward a cellular target is a new approach intended to improve this method. This study is devoted to the design and synthesis of a new conjugate based on meso-arylporphyrin with a low-molecular-weight tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Erlotinib. A nano-formulation based on Pluronic F127 micelles was obtained and characterized. The photophysical and photochemical properties and biological activity of the studied compounds and their nano-formulation were studied. A significant, 20-40-fold difference between the dark and photoinduced activity was achieved for the conjugate nanomicelles. After irradiation, the studied conjugate nanomicelles were 1.8 times more toxic toward the EGFR-overexpressing cell line MDA-MB-231 compared to the conditionally normal NKE cells. The IC50 was 0.073 ± 0.014 μM for the MDA-MB-231 cell line and 0.13 ± 0.018 μM for NKE cells after irradiation for the target conjugate nanomicelles.

Tumor Cell-Specific Retention and Photodynamic Action of Erlotinib-Pyropheophorbide Conjugates

To enhance uptake of photosensitizers by epithelial tumor cells by targeting these to EGFR, pyropheophorbide derivatives were synthesized that had erlotinib attached to different positions on the macrocycle. Although the addition of erlotinib reduced cellular uptake, several compounds showed prolonged cellular retention and maintained photodynamic efficacy. The aim of this study was to identify whether erlotinib moiety assists in tumor targeting through interaction with EGFR and whether this interaction inhibits EGFR kinase activity. The activity of the conjugates was analyzed in primary cultures of human head and neck tumor cells with high-level expression of EGFR, and in human carcinomas grown as xenografts in mice. Uptake of erlotinib conjugates did not correlate with cellular expression of EGFR and none of the compounds exerted EGFR-inhibitory activity. One derivative with erlotinib at position 3, PS-10, displayed enhanced tumor cell-specific retention in mitochondria/ER and improved PDT efficacy in a subset of tumor cases. Moreover, upon treatment of the conjugates with therapeutic light, EGFR-inhibitory activity was recovered that attenuated EGFR signal-dependent tumor cell proliferation. This finding suggests that tumor cell-specific deposition of erlotinib-pyropheophorbides, followed by light triggered release of EGFR-inhibitory activity, may improve photodynamic therapy by attenuating tumor growth that is dependent on EGFR-derived signals.

Impact of mono- and di-β-galactose moieties in in vitro / in vivo anticancer efficacy of pyropheophorbide-carbohydrate conjugates by photodynamic therapy

To investigate the impact of mono- and di-β-galactose moieties in tumor uptake and photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy, HPPH [3-(1'-hexyloxy)ethyl-3-devinylpyropheophorobide-a], the meso pyropheophorbide-a [3-ethyl-3-devinyl-pyropheophorbide-a], and the corresponding 20-benzoic acid analogs were used as starting materials. Reaction of the intermediates containing one or two carboxylic acid functionalities with 1-aminogalactose afforded the desired 17²- or 20(4')- mono- and 17², 20(4')-di galactose conjugated photosensitizers (PSs) with and without a carboxylic acid group. The overall lipophilicity caused by the presence of galactose in combination with either an ethyl or (1'-hexyloxy)ethyl side chain at position-3 of the macrocycle made a significant difference in in vitro uptake by tumor cells and photoreaction upon light exposure. Interestingly, among the PSs investigated, compared to HPPH 1 the carbohydrate conjugates 2 and 11 in which β-galactose moieties are conjugated at positions 17² and 20(4') of meso-pyro pheophorbide-a showed similar in vitro efficacy in FaDu cell lines, but in SCID mice bearing FaDu tumors (head & neck) Ps 11 gave significantly improved long-term tumor cure.

Syntheses of thiophene appended N-confused phlorin isomers

A doubly confused thiapentapyrrane NSP-5 was synthesized by acid-catalysed condensation. Subsequent oxidation with DDQ did not afford the expected thiasapphyrin-like product. Instead, two tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, i.e. neo-N-confused phlorin (1) and N-confused phlorin-II (2) were obtained in the yields of 14% and 18%, respectively. The compounds were characterized by NMR, HRMS, and X-ray diffraction analyses. Single crystal structures clearly reveal that the thienyl units are not embedded into the macrocycles, but appended as meso-substituents, and the C[Formula: see text]-N and C[Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text] cyclization modes can be clearly revealed by the crystal structures of 1 and 2, respectively. The observation that the thienyl unit is not involved in oxidative cyclization may be related to the relatively low reactivity of the thiophene moiety compared with the more electron-rich pyrrole unit. These results indicate that oxidative cyclization of linear thiaoligopyrranes containing terminal thiophene units may be developed as an effective approach for synthesizing nonconjugated macrocycles like phlorin analogues.

Molecular Targeting of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (VEGFR)

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) are two extensively studied membrane-bound receptor tyrosine kinase proteins that are frequently overexpressed in many cancers. As a result, these receptor families constitute attractive targets for imaging and therapeutic applications in the detection and treatment of cancer. This review explores the dynamic structure and structure-function relationships of these two growth factor receptors and their significance as it relates to theranostics of cancer, followed by some of the common inhibition modalities frequently employed to target EGFR and VEGFR, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), antibodies, nanobodies, and peptides. A summary of the recent advances in molecular imaging techniques, including positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and optical imaging (OI), and in particular, near-IR fluorescence imaging using tetrapyrrolic-based fluorophores, concludes this review.