Photodynamic action of photosensitizers based on polycationic derivatives of synthetic bacteriochlorin against human lung cancer cells A549

Abstract

In view of their potential in the treatment of oncological diseases, photosensitizers (PS) have been the object of active research for the last years. The applied therapeutic photodynamic method involves the activation of a PS by light at a specific wavelength. PS interacts with oxygen and catalyzes the production of singlet oxygen molecules or radical oxygen species which leads to tumor cell death. This work is devoted to the study of the effectiveness of the photodynamic action of new PSs based on polycationic derivatives of synthetic bacteriochlorin on human lung cancer cells A549. The results obtained show that these PS effectively bind to these cells, have high phototoxicity and low ‘dark’ cytotoxicity for them. Morphological and immunohistochemical studies show that photodynamic effect leads to induction of cell necrosis and apoptosis, as well as a sharp decrease in mitotic activity.