Improved anticancer efficacy of methyl pyropheophorbide-a–incorporated solid lipid nanoparticles in photodynamic therapy

• Published in: Scientific reports 2023-05, Vol.13 (1), p.7391-7391, Article 7391
• Main Authors: Yeo, Sooho, Lee, Tae Heon, Kim, Min Je, Shim, Young Key, Yoon, Il, Song, Young Kyu, Lee, Woo Kyoung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/67; 639/638; 639/925; Cancer; Cell size; Controlled release; Cytotoxicity; Drug Carriers; Drug Compounding; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; multidisciplinary; Nanoparticles; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Particle Size; Permeability; Photochemotherapy - methods; Photodynamic therapy; Photosensitizing Agents - chemistry; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Solubility; Sonication; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34265-x

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising anticancer treatment because it is patient-friendly and non-invasive. Methyl pyropheophorbide-a (MPPa), one of the chlorin class photosensitizers, is a drug with poor aqueous solubility. The purpose of this study was to synthesize MPPa and develop MPPa-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with improved solubility and PDT efficacy. The synthesized MPPa was confirmed 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H-NMR) spectroscopy and UV–Vis spectroscopy. MPPa was encapsulated in SLN via a hot homogenization with sonication. Particle characterization was performed using particle size and zeta potential measurements. The pharmacological effect of MPPa was evaluated using the 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) assay and anti-cancer effect against HeLa and A549 cell lines. The particle size and zeta potential ranged from 231.37 to 424.07 nm and − 17.37 to − 24.20 mV, respectively. MPPa showed sustained release from MPPa-loaded SLNs. All formulations improved the photostability of MPPa. The DPBF assay showed that SLNs enhanced the 1 O 2 generation from MPPa. In the photocytotoxicity analysis, MPPa-loaded SLNs demonstrated cytotoxicity upon photoirradiation but not in the dark. The PDT efficacy of MPPa improved following its entrapment in SLNs. This observation suggests that MPPa-loaded SLNs are suitable for the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Together, these results demonstrate that the developed MPPa-loaded SLNs are promising candidates for cancer treatment using PDT.