Selective antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of chlorinated hemicyanine against gram-positive bacteria.

Antibiotic-free therapies are highly needed due to the limited success of conventional approaches especially against biofilm related infections. In this direction, antimicrobial phototherapy, either in the form of antimicrobial photothermal therapy (aPTT) or antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), have appeared to be highly promising candidates in recent years. These are local and promising approaches for antibiotic resistant bacterial infections and biofilms.

Fimbria targeting superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles enhance the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of ciprofloxacin against quinolone-resistant E. coli.

High quinolone resistance of Escherichia coli limits the therapy options for urinary tract infection (UTI). In response to the urgent need for efficient treatment of multidrug-resistant infections, we designed a fimbriae targeting superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) delivering ciprofloxacin to ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli.

Aqueous colloidal nanoplatelets for imaging and improved ALA-based photodynamic therapy of prostate cancer cells.

Fluorescent, CdSe/CdS core/crown heterostructured nanoplatelets (NPLs) were transferred to the water a simple, single-step ligand exchange using 2-mercaptopropionic acid in a simple extraction process. These stable, aqueous NPLs were loaded with a modal drug, 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). ALA-loaded NPLs emerged as a new class of theranostic nanoparticles for image-guided enhanced photodynamic therapy of both androgen-dependent and -independent human prostate cancer cells.

Image-Guided Enhanced PDT/PTT Combination Therapy Using Brominated Hemicyanine-Loaded Folate Receptor-Targeting AgS Quantum Dots.

Tumor-targeting nanoparticles and phototherapies are the two major trends in tumor-specific, local cancer therapy with minimal side effects. Organic photosensitizers (PSs) usually offer effective photodynamic therapy (PDT) but require enhanced solubility and tumor-targeting, which may be provided by a nanoparticle. Near-infrared (NIR)-emitting AgS quantum dots may act as a delivery vehicle for the PS, NIR tracking agent, and as a phototherapy (PTT) agent.

Development of a cysteine responsive chlorinated hemicyanine for image-guided dual phototherapy.

A cysteine (Cys) activatable chlorinated hemicyanine (Cl-Cys) was introduced as a tumour selective image-guided dual phototherapy agent. Cl-Cys exhibited a significant turn on response in its near-IR emission signal and activated its singlet oxygen generation as well as photothermal conversion potentials upon reacting with Cys. The laser irradiation of Cl-Cys induced significant cell death in cancer cells with high Cys level, while it stayed deactivated and non-emissive in a healthy cell line.