Naeem Nafeesa, Sadiq Amina, Ogaly Hanan A, Mughal Ehsan Ullah
Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat Gujrat 50700 Pakistan
Department of Chemistry, Govt. College Women University Sialkot 51300 Pakistan.
RSC Adv. 2025 Aug 21;15(36):29890-29924. doi: 10.1039/d5ra04347f. eCollection 2025 Aug 18.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) represents a selective and minimally invasive strategy for cancer treatment, relying on light-activated photosensitizers (PSs) to produce ROS that induce tumor cell death. Among various PSs, phthalocyanines have emerged as promising candidates owing to their strong absorption in the near-infrared region, excellent photostability, and high singlet oxygen quantum yield. However, their clinical application remains limited by poor water solubility, tendency to aggregate, and insufficient tumor specificity. To address these challenges, nanoparticle-based delivery systems have been extensively explored to enhance the performance of phthalocyanine (Pc) photosensitizers. This review specifically highlights the integration of metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) with a range of nanoparticles (NPs), including gold, silver, titanium dioxide, magnetic NPs and polymeric carriers. It provides a comprehensive overview of key advancements from 2023 to 2025 in nanoparticle-mediated delivery strategies for phthalocyanine-based PSs in cancer photodynamic therapy. These nanostructures not only improve the solubility and stability of MPcs but also facilitate targeted delivery and enhance photodynamic efficacy through better cellular uptake and controlled release mechanisms. Different classes of nanocarriers and their design strategies for optimizing therapeutic outcomes are critically discussed. Furthermore, the review addresses current challenges such as biological barriers, potential toxicity, and regulatory considerations. Future perspectives on clinical translation are also explored, emphasizing the significant potential of nanoparticle-assisted MPc systems to revolutionize cancer photodynamic therapy.
光动力疗法（PDT）是一种用于癌症治疗的选择性且微创的策略，它依靠光激活的光敏剂（PSs）产生活性氧（ROS）来诱导肿瘤细胞死亡。在各种光敏剂中，酞菁由于其在近红外区域的强吸收、优异的光稳定性和高单线态氧量子产率而成为有前景的候选物。然而，它们的临床应用仍然受到水溶性差、聚集倾向和肿瘤特异性不足的限制。为了应对这些挑战，基于纳米颗粒的递送系统已被广泛探索，以提高酞菁（Pc）光敏剂的性能。本综述特别强调了金属酞菁（MPcs）与一系列纳米颗粒（NPs）的整合，包括金、银、二氧化钛、磁性纳米颗粒和聚合物载体。它全面概述了2023年至2025年在癌症光动力疗法中基于酞菁的光敏剂的纳米颗粒介导递送策略方面的关键进展。这些纳米结构不仅提高了MPcs的溶解度和稳定性，还通过更好的细胞摄取和控释机制促进了靶向递送并增强了光动力疗效。对不同类型的纳米载体及其优化治疗效果的设计策略进行了批判性讨论。此外，该综述还讨论了当前的挑战，如生物屏障、潜在毒性和监管考虑因素。还探讨了临床转化的未来前景，强调了纳米颗粒辅助的MPc系统在革新癌症光动力疗法方面的巨大潜力。
