Nonmetal Methoxy-Porphyrin Nanophotosensitizers: An Antitumor Agent for Photodynamic Therapy against Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer.

Abstract

With the continuous development of precision medicine and personalized treatment, traditional therapeutic approaches such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are increasingly unable to meet the ever-changing clinical needs. Therefore, developing highly efficient, low-toxicity, and well-targeted treatment strategies has become an urgent priority in cancer therapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has made significant strides in tumor treatment in recent years. Among the various materials used in PDT, porphyrin photosensitizers have emerged as one of the most utilized options due to their exceptional photodynamic activity, excellent targeting ability, low toxicity, and versatility. Here, this study selects nonmetal methoxy-porphyrin nanophotosensitizers as high-performance antitumor materials. Both in vitro and in vivo analyses demonstrate that these nanophotosensitizers efficiently generate reactive oxygen species, exhibiting significant cytotoxic effects at the cellular level. In tumor-bearing mouse models using 4T1 and HeLa cells, they show remarkable tumor inhibition, confirming their therapeutic potential in breast and cervical cancer models. Transcriptomic sequencing further reveals their regulatory roles in tumor-related signaling pathways. Overall, these findings highlight the exceptional antitumor properties of nonmetal methoxy-porphyrin nanophotosensitizers and provide foundational evidence for their application in PDT for gynecological malignancies.