Simultaneous Increase in Brightness and Singlet Oxygen Generation of an Organic Photosensitizer by Nanocrystallization

TY - JOUR

T1 - Simultaneous Increase in Brightness and Singlet Oxygen Generation of an Organic Photosensitizer by Nanocrystallization

AU - Fateminia, S. M. Ali

AU - Kacenauskaite, Laura

AU - Zhang, Chong-jing

AU - Ma, Suqian

AU - Kenry, null

AU - Manghnani, Purnima N.

AU - Chen, Junsheng

AU - Xu, Shidang

AU - Hu, Fang

AU - Xu, Bin

AU - Laursen, Bo W.

AU - Liu, Bin

PY - 2018/12/27

Y1 - 2018/12/27

N2 - Efficient organic photosensitizers are attractive for cancer cell ablation in photodynamic therapy. Bright fluorescent photosensitizers are highly desirable for simultaneous imaging and therapy. However, due to fundamental competition between emission and singlet oxygen generation, design attempts to increase singlet oxygen generation almost always leads to the loss of fluorescence. Herein, it is shown for the first time that nanocrystallization enables a simultaneous and significant increase in the brightness and singlet oxygen generation of an organic photosensitizer. Spectroscopic studies show simultaneous enhancement in the visible light absorption and fluorescence after nanocrystallization. The enhanced absorption of visible light in nanocrystals is found to translate directly to the enhanced singlet oxygen production, which shows a higher ability to kill HeLa cells as compared to their amorphous counterpart.

AB - Efficient organic photosensitizers are attractive for cancer cell ablation in photodynamic therapy. Bright fluorescent photosensitizers are highly desirable for simultaneous imaging and therapy. However, due to fundamental competition between emission and singlet oxygen generation, design attempts to increase singlet oxygen generation almost always leads to the loss of fluorescence. Herein, it is shown for the first time that nanocrystallization enables a simultaneous and significant increase in the brightness and singlet oxygen generation of an organic photosensitizer. Spectroscopic studies show simultaneous enhancement in the visible light absorption and fluorescence after nanocrystallization. The enhanced absorption of visible light in nanocrystals is found to translate directly to the enhanced singlet oxygen production, which shows a higher ability to kill HeLa cells as compared to their amorphous counterpart.

U2 - 10.1002/smll.201803325

DO - 10.1002/smll.201803325

M3 - Letter

C2 - 30480358

SN - 1613-6810

VL - 14

SP - 1

EP - 6

JO - Small

JF - Small

IS - 52

M1 - 1803325

ER -