Bithiophene-Functionalized Infrared Two-Photon Absorption Metal Complexes as Single-Molecule Platforms for Synergistic

 Photodynamic, Photothermal, and Chemotherapy

By:Li, Xue-Lian ; Wang, Meng-Fan ;  Zeng, Li-Zhen ; Li, Guo-Kui ; Zhao, Run-Yu ; Liu, Fu-Dan ; Li, Yun ; Yan, Yu-Fei ; Liu, Qishuai ; Li, Zhao ; Zhang, Hongbin ; Ren, Xiaoxia ; Gao, Feng

Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

DOI：https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202402028

Published：2024-Jun

Abstract

      A planar conjugated ligand functionalized with bithiophene and its Ru(II), Os(II), and Ir(III) complexes have been constructed as single-molecule platform for synergistic photodynamic, photothermal, and chemotherapy. The complexes have significant two-photon absorption at 808 nm and remarkable singlet oxygen and superoxide anion production in aqueous solution and cells when exposed to 808 nm infrared irradiation. The most potent Ru(II) complex Ru7 enters tumor cells via the rare macropinocytosis, locates in both nuclei and mitochondria, and regulates DNA-related chemotherapeutic mechanisms intranuclearly including DNA topoisomerase and RNA polymerase inhibition and their synergistic effects with photoactivated apoptosis, ferroptosis and DNA cleavage. Ru7 exhibits high efficacy in vivo for malignant melanoma and cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer tumors, with a 100 % survival rate of mice, low toxicity to normal cells and low residual rate. Such an infrared two-photon activatable metal complex may contribute to a new generation of single-molecule-based integrated diagnosis and treatment platform to address drug resistance in clinical practice and phototherapy for large, deeply located solid tumors.

    A single-molecule-based integrated diagnosis and treatment platform for infrared two-photon excitable synergistic photodynamic, photothermal, and chemotherapy has been constructed. The most potent Ru7 enters cells via macropinocytosis and regulates DNA-related chemotherapeutic mechanisms intranuclearly and their synergistic effects with photoactivated apoptosis, ferroptosis and DNA cleavage. Ru7 exhibits high efficacy and safety in vivo for melanoma and cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer. image