Sodium copper chlorophyllin-loaded chitosan nanoparticle-based photodynamic therapy for B16 melanoma cancer cells

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive and fatal skin cancers owing to its ability to metastasize and develop resistance to chemotherapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally noninvasive treatment modality comprising photosensitizers (PSs), light sources, and endogenous molecular oxygen that exert a localized cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. The current study explores the therapeutic potential of sodium copper chlorophyllin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CH-SCC NPs) along with handheld laser-based PDT on B16 cancer cells. A modified chlorophyll derivative identified as sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) is a dietary supplement that has anticancer properties. Herein, we have synthesized CH-SCC NPs using the ionic gelation method to enhance the PS's bioavailability and efficiency. Chitosan nanoparticles exhibited high biocompatibility in a normal cell line L929, zebrafish, and chick embryos, and were successfully employed to deliver the SCC to cancer cells. CH-SCC NPs showed an enhanced PDT effect that killed approximately 80%–85% of B16 cells. CH-SCC NPs in combination with a handheld portable laser source showed significant therapeutic potential against the B16 skin cancer cell line. The experimental findings further strengthen our device-repurposing strategy, which suggests that SCC nanoformulations along with handheld laser can be a suitable treatment for skin cancer even in remote areas where power source and treatment cost can be a limitation.