A new photodynamic therapy photosensitizer (p1) promotes apoptosis of keloid fibroblasts by targeting caspase-8.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new therapy for treating cancer with less toxicity, high selectivity, good cooperativity, and repetitive usability. However, keloid treatment by PDT is mainly focused on clinical appearance, and few studies have been conducted on the mechanisms of PDT. In this study, key factors of the classical mitochondrial apoptosis signaling pathway were measured to assess the effect of a new PDT photosensitizer (p1).