Lin Liangwu, Xiong Li, Wen Yu, Lei Sanlin, Deng Xiaofeng, Liu Zhipeng, Chen Wei, Miao Xiongying
J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2015 Apr;11(4):531-54. doi: 10.1166/jbn.2015.2090.
Cancer stem cells are believed to be the basis for tumor initiation, development, metastasis and recurrence; are resistant to most traditional therapies (e.g., chemotherapy and radiotherapy); and have the ability to self-renew, proliferate and differentiate. Photodynamic therapy may be a promising novel treatment for drug-resistant cancer stem cells because of the selectivity of the photosensitizer. One of the most important issues to overcome in photodynamic therapy is the photosensitizer-targeted delivery to tumor cells, especially cancer stem cells. Nano-photosensitizers comprising molecular photosensitizers and water-dispersible nanocarriers with or without moieties possessing the ability for specific binding to cancer cells or cancer stem cells are a promising strategy for active targeted photosensitizer delivery and photodynamic therapy-targeted therapy of tumors. In this review, we highlight current and future prospects for potential strategies based on nanoscience and nanotechnology for nano-photosensitizer-targeted delivery in the photodynamic therapy treatment of cancer cells, especially cancer stem cells.
癌症干细胞被认为是肿瘤起始、发展、转移和复发的基础；对大多数传统疗法（如化疗和放疗）具有抗性；并且具有自我更新、增殖和分化的能力。由于光敏剂的选择性，光动力疗法可能是一种针对耐药性癌症干细胞的有前景的新型治疗方法。光动力疗法中要克服的最重要问题之一是将光敏剂靶向递送至肿瘤细胞，尤其是癌症干细胞。包含分子光敏剂和具有或不具有与癌细胞或癌症干细胞特异性结合能力部分的水分散性纳米载体的纳米光敏剂，是实现活性靶向光敏剂递送和肿瘤光动力疗法靶向治疗的一种有前景的策略。在本综述中，我们重点介绍了基于纳米科学和纳米技术的潜在策略在光动力疗法治疗癌细胞（尤其是癌症干细胞）中进行纳米光敏剂靶向递送的当前和未来前景。
