One small molecule as a theranostic agent: naphthalimide dye for subcellular fluorescence localization and photodynamic therapy

• Published in: MedChemComm 2016-06, Vol.7 (6), p.1171-1175
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lei, Lei, Kecheng, Zhang, Jingwen, Song, Wenlin, Zheng, Yuanhong, Tan, Shaoying, Gao, Yuwei, Xu, Yufang, Liu, Jianwen, Qian, Xuhong
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 2040-2503; 2040-2511
• DOI: 10.1039/c6md00104a

A novel single and small molecular theranostic agent ( 1a ) based on a naphthalimide dye has been developed and characterized. The agent ( 1a ) displays excellent fluorescence for cell imaging (fluorescent quantum yields of 0.81) and photodynamic effects for therapeutic effectiveness (micromolar inhibition efficacy in vitro towards a broad spectrum of tumor models and anticancer treatment in vivo on A375 tumor xenograft models). This provides a new approach for simultaneous improvement in two directions using a small molecule as theranostic agent, which usually are in conflict with each other for most traditional theranostic agents. A small single-molecule theranostic agent based on naphthalimide was developed, which possessed both bright fluorescence imaging and effective photodynamic therapeutic treatment.