Targeting Cancer Cells with Photoactive Silica Nanoparticles

Title:Targeting Cancer Cells with Photoactive Silica Nanoparticles

Volume: 22 Issue: 39

Author(s): Wioleta Borzęcka, Tito Trindade, Tomás Torres and João Tomé

Affiliation:

Keywords: Porphyrins, Phthalocyanines, Photosensitizers, Silica Nanoparticles, PDT, Cancer.

Abstract: This review highlights recent advances in the preparation of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) functionalized with porphyrins and phthalocyanines for application in cancer photodiagnostic and photodynamic therapy (PDT). The use of photosensitizer-SNP formulations has emerged recently as a new nanomedicine for cancer research owing to their unique physicochemical properties, which make them useful for photo-biomedical applications. In order to study their photobiological properties, diverse chemical strategies involving covalent and non-covalent bonding have been used to load photosensitizers in/on SNPs.

Cite this article as:

Borzęcka Wioleta, Trindade Tito, Torres Tomás and Tomé João, Targeting Cancer Cells with Photoactive Silica Nanoparticles, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2016; 22 (39) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160614083804