Scientists from the Universities of Rennes and Nancy in France have developed dual-role biphotonic chromophores for photodynamic therapy (PDT) applications that retain fluorescence properties, thus enabling their 3-D localization and the selective irradiation of cancer cells when combined with targeting.
In their paper selected as ‘Hot Article’, the collaboration led by Mireille Blanchard-Desce presents the synthesis and photophysical study of “banana-shaped” chromophores where the nature of the conjugated backbone is modified by playing with the aromatic units (a complementary approach to that based on the incorporation of heavy atom substituents).
By optimizing the chromophore structure of a series of fluorene derivatives, the researchers were able to design photosensitizers exhibiting large two-photon adsorption (TPA) cross section in the biologically useful spectral region combined with singlet oxygen production.
‘This route allows to combine in a single biphotonic chromophore several features highly desirable for two-photon PDT: fluorescence (for localisation and subsequent localized irradiation), large and broad TPA responses in the spectral range of interest for bio-oriented applications (700-1000 nm), as well reasonable singlet oxygen sensitization ability’, says Mireille Blanchard-Desce.
The team is now working on developing nano-objects with very high TPA, that incorporate the biphotonic sensitizers.
Banana-shaped biphotonic quadrupolar chromophores: from fluorophores to biphotonic photosensitizers
Cédric Rouxel, Marina Charlot, Youssef Mir, Céline Frochot, Olivier Mongin and Mireille Blanchard-Desce
New J. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1NJ20073A, Paper
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