Photodynamic therapy for hypoxic solid tumors via Mn-MOF as a photosensitizer

Abstract

Hypoxia, as an important feature in tumor sites, greatly hinders the performance of photosensitizers, thus affecting the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Therefore, designing and preparing new photosensitizer with high photosensitivity under hypoxic condition presents a great challenge that urgently needs to be solved. In this work, a new nano-MOF material using Mn(II) as the active center can catalytically decompose high concentrations of H₂O₂ in tumor cells to generate O₂, thereby improving the PDT efficacy in hypoxic tumors. The Mn-MOF also produces ¹O₂ under light irradiation, which finally induces cancer cell apoptosis. This work offers a new strategy for the design and discovery of effective photosensitizers for PDT.