ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

An Update for Photodynamic Therapy as a Versatile Tool for Biological Breakthroughs

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 2132

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: photochemistry; chromophores; light-activated systems; donor–acceptor structures; covalent and noncovalent chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Science and Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: (photo)active (hybrid)materials; porphyrins; phthalocyanines; photomedicine; photoinduced energy; electron-transfer materials; optical (chemo)sensors; (photo)catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: synthesis and functionalization of porphyrins, phthalocyanines and porphyrin-type compounds; photodynamic therapy; photoinactivation of microorganisms; chemical sensing; solar cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective and valuable clinical procedure for the treatment of cancer or microorganisms. This clinical method combines a photosensitizer (PS), molecular oxygen, and visible or near-infrared light irradiation for the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to the destruction of cancer cells or microorganisms. Comparing this method with conventional therapies, PDT has several returns because it is a relatively non-invasive procedure. Because irradiation is restricted to the biological target, and the PS accumulates mainly in a specific site, it provides a lower systemic toxicity and a selective destruction. The PDT methodology also has a great tolerability profile, the absence of particular resistance mechanisms, a great cosmetic outcome, and the capability to promote the immune approach. Nevertheless, the PDT has certain limitations, and therefore, there is a substantial possibility for development, particularly in the area of new efficient PS drugs. Promising PS should be logically designed to match the features of an ideal PS drug.

The purpose of this Special Issue centered on Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is to present the latest information in this topic, especially new PS drugs, their photochemical and photobiological properties, and cancer/microorganism therapies. Special importance is dedicated to the design and synthesis of the PS and to their photophysical properties. Moreover, the biological evaluation of each formulation will be emphasized, expecting that the collected knowledge will encourage the development of other effective photoactive drugs. We invite original research manuscripts and comprehensive reviews covering recent findings related to the abovementioned topics.

Dr. Leandro M. O. Lourenço
Dr. João P. C. Tomé
Dr. Augusto C. Tomé
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • photodynamic theraphy (aPDT)
  • photochemistry
  • dyes
  • photosensitizers
  • porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and other derivatives
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • singlet oxygen
  • cancer

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 3044 KiB  
Article
Polydopamine-Coated Liposomes for Methylene Blue Delivery in Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy: Effects in 2D and 3D Cellular Models
by Vincenzo De Leo, Emanuela Marras, Anna Maria Maurelli, Lucia Catucci, Francesco Milano and Marzia Bruna Gariboldi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(6), 3392; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063392 - 16 Mar 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1515
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic option for cancer, in which photosensitizer (PS) drugs, light, and molecular oxygen generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce cell death. First- and second-generation PSs presented with problems that hindered their efficacy, including low solubility. Thus, second-generation [...] Read more.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic option for cancer, in which photosensitizer (PS) drugs, light, and molecular oxygen generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce cell death. First- and second-generation PSs presented with problems that hindered their efficacy, including low solubility. Thus, second-generation PSs loaded into nanocarriers were produced to enhance their cellular uptake and therapeutic efficacy. Among other compounds investigated, the dye methylene blue (MB) showed potential as a PS, and its photodynamic activity in tumor cells was reported even in its nanocarrier-delivered form, including liposomes. Here, we prepared polydopamine (PDA)-coated liposomes and efficiently adsorbed MB onto their surface. lipoPDA@MB vesicles were first physico-chemically characterized and studies on their light stability and on the in vitro release of MB were performed. Photodynamic effects were then assessed on a panel of 2D- and 3D-cultured cancer cell lines, comparing the results with those obtained using free MB. lipoPDA@MB uptake, type of cell death induced, and ability to generate ROS were also investigated. Our results show that lipoPDA@MB possesses higher photodynamic potency compared to MB in both 2D and 3D cell models, probably thanks to its higher uptake, ROS production, and apoptotic cell death induction. Therefore, lipoPDA@MB appears as an efficient drug delivery system for MB-based PDT. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop