Chemical modification of temoporfin – a second generation photosensitizer activated using upconverting nanoparticles for singlet oxygen generation†
Abstract
LiYF4:Tm3+/Yb3+ upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) were functionalized with the second generation photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetra(m-hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (m-THPC, Temoporfin, Foscan®). m-THPC was modified using 4-(bromomethyl)benzoic acid, which induced a bathochromic shift of the m-THPC blue absorption peak. The nanoconstruct causes up to 70% cell death under 980 nm irradiation.