Effects of Phthalocyanine-Based Molecular Beacon-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy on U251 Cells

摘要

Phthalocyanine-based active photodynamic molecular beacon (PPMB) is a novel photosensitizer with a potential for treating gliomas. In this study, the anti-tumor activity of PPMB on U251 glioma cells is evaluated and the results show that the uptake of PPMB by U251 glioma cells reached a maximum after incubation for 6 h. The optimal laser dosage for PPMB-induced PDT on U251 cells is 25 J/cm(2) and the half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) is 3.33 mu M. The cell viability-concentration curves of groups treated with PDT and PPMB are nearly identical for the treatments with and without the ambient light. The VEGF expression, ROS production, and apoptosis are increased after PDT. The HIF-1 alpha expression after PDT is not different from that in the control group. Therefore, it is not necessary to avoid the ambient light while using PPMB for PDT. PPMB-based PDT increased the expression of VEGF. Based on these observations, it is concluded that PPMB is an effective photosensitizer for treating U251 glioma.