In this study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocomposites were developed by incorporating a photosensitizer, verteporfin and gold nanoparticles into this polymeric matrix and utilised for enhanced photoynamic therapy. Both enhanced fluorescence and singlet oxygen generation from verteporfin were observed in this new formulation under both 425nm LED and 405nm laser illumination. A maximum enhancement factor of 2.5 for fluorescence and 1.84 for ¹O₂ generation was obtained when the molar ratio of gold:VP was 5:1 and excited at 425 nm, compared with PLGA doped with verteporfin only. The experiment results could be explained by the local electric field enhancement of gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, in vitro cell-killing effect on human pancreatic cancer cells was also demonstrated by using this new formulation following light exposure, indicating the utility of these nanocomposites for enhanced photodynamic therapy.

Date Published: 9 December 2016
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 10013, SPIE BioPhotonics Australasia, 100131O (9 December 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2242362

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10013:
SPIE BioPhotonics Australasia
Mark R. Hutchinson; Ewa M. Goldys, Editor(s)