Visible light-induced singlet oxygen-mediated intracellular disassembly of polymeric micelles co-loaded with a photosensitizer and an anticancer drug for enhanced photodynamic therapy

Abstract

Herein, we report a biocompatible amphiphilic block copolymer micelle bearing a singlet oxygen-sensitive vinyldithioether cleavable linker at the core–shell junction, which undergoes singlet oxygen-mediated photocleavage in the presence of visible light. The micelle facilitates the light-responsive release of singlet oxygen and an anticancer drug for enhanced photodynamic therapy.