Metal Complexes for Two-Photon Photodynamic Therapy: A Cyclometallated Iridium Complex Induces Two-Photon Photosensitization of Cancer Cells under Near-IR Light.

ABSTRACT: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses photosensitizers (PS) which only become cytotoxic upon light-irradiation. Transition-metal complexes are highly promising PS due to long excited-state lifetimes, and high photo-stabilities. However, these complexes usually absorb higher-energy UV/Vis light, whereas the optimal tissue transparency is in the lower-energy NIR region. Two-photon excitation (TPE) can overcome this dichotomy, with simultaneous absorption of two lower-energy NIR-photons populating the same PS-active excited state as one higher-energy photon. We introduce two low-molecular weight, long-lived and photo-stable iridium complexes of the [Ir(N^C)₂ (N^N)]⁺ family with high TP-absorption, which localise to mitochondria and lysosomal structures in live cells. The compounds are efficient PS under 1-photon irradiation (405?nm) resulting in apoptotic cell death in diverse cancer cell lines at low light doses (3.6?J?cm^-2 ), low concentrations, and photo-indexes greater than 555. Remarkably 1 also displays high PS activity killing cancer cells under NIR two-photon excitation (760?nm), which along with its photo-stability indicates potential future clinical application.

SUBMITTER: McKenzie LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5248616 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature