A Photodynamic and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Agent
LSU Reference: 0446
Inventors:
- Maria da Graça Henriques Vicente
- Erhong Hao
Status:
Description: Benign, water-soluble porphyrin-based compounds accumulate preferentially in cancerous cells, where they be activated by either of two modalities: 1) Photodynamic Therapy (PDT); or 2) Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT)
Applications:
- Photodynamic cancer therapy
- Boron neutron capture cancer therapy
- Macular degeneration of the eye treatment
- Antibacterial agents
- Antiviral/virucidal agents
- Autoradiography Imaging
- MRI contrast agent
- X-ray radiography contrast agent
Advantages:
- Low toxicity in unactivated form
- Dual-mode use
Abstract: Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an oncology protocol consisting of the irradiation of 10B-rich tumors with low-energy neutrons, initiating a cascade of nuclear reaction products -- a 1.47 MeV a particle, a 0.84 MeV lithium ion (7Li3+), and a 0.48 MeV g-ray – that are highly damaging to tumor cells. Our new porphyrin-based compounds are water-soluble, preferentially deliver 10B to neoplastic tissue, and may also be used in a second, independent therapeutic protocol, photodynamic therapy (PDT), which generates highly-reactive singlet oxygen (1O2) and other cytotoxic species through irradiation of tissue-penetrating red light. Cellular uptake is excellent, “dark” toxicity is low and intracellular concentrations are moderate, making our compounds good candidates for advanced imaging techniques.
This page was last updated Friday, March 23, 2012
