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This work reports for the first time on the synthesis, characterization, and photodynamic therapy efficacy of the novel aluminium (III) chloride 2(3), 9(10), 16(17), 23(24)-tetrakis-(sodium 2-mercaptoacetate) phthalocyanine (AlClPcTS41) when alone and when conjugated to PEGylated copper–gold bimetallic nanoparticles (PEG-CuAuNPs) as photosensitizers on colon cancer cells (Caco-2). The novel AlClPcTS41 was covalently linked to the PEG-CuAuNPs via an amide bond to form AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs. The amide bond was successfully confirmed using FTIR while the crystal structures were studied using XRD. The morphological and size variations of the PEG-CuAuNPs and AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs were studied using TEM, while the hydrodynamic sizes and polydispersity of the particles were confirmed using DLS. The ground state electron absorption spectra were also studied and confirmed the typical absorption of metallated phthalocyanines and their nanoparticle conjugates. Subsequently, the subcellular uptake, cellular proliferation, and PDT anti-tumor effect of AlClPcTS41, PEG-CuAuNPs, and AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs were investigated within in vitro Caco-2 cells. The designed AlClPcTS41 and AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs demonstrated significant ROS generation abilities that led to the PDT effect with a significantly decreased viable cell population after PDT treatment. These results demonstrate that the novel AlClPcTS41 and AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs had remarkable PDT effects against Caco-2 cells and may trigger apoptosis cell death pathway, indicating the potential of the AlClPcTS41 and AlClPcTS41-PEG-CuAuNPs in enhancing the cytotoxic effect of PDT treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, fluorescent diagnostics and photodynamic therapy are promising methods for diagnosing and treating oncological diseases. The development of new photosensitizers (PS) is one of the most important tasks to improve the efficiency of both laser-induced diagnostics and therapy. In our study, we conjugated PS with AIS/ZnS triple quantum dots (QDs) to obtain non-aggregated complexes. It was shown that the conjugation of PS with QDs does not change the PS fluorescence lifetime, which is a marker of the preservation of PS photophysical properties. In particular, efficient resonant Förster energy transfer (FRET), from QDs to PS molecules in the conjugate, increases the PS luminescence response. The FRET from QD to PS molecules with different ratios of donor and acceptors are shown. It has been demonstrated that the average efficiency of FRET depends on the ratio of PS and QD and reaches a maximum value of 80% at a ratio of 6 PS molecules per 1 QD molecule. Thus, these studies could help to contribute to the development of new complexes based on QD and PS to improve the efficiency of phototheranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of phthalocyanines, known photosensitizers, for biomedical applications has been of high research interest for several decades. Of specific interest, nanophotosensitizers are crystalline aluminum phthalocyanine nanoparticles (AlPc NPs). In crystalline form, they are water-insoluble and atoxic, but upon contact with tumors, immune cells, or pathogenic microflora, they change their spectroscopic properties (acquire the ability to fluoresce and become phototoxic), which makes them upcoming agents for selective phototheranostics. Aqueous colloids of crystalline AlPc NPs with a hydrodynamic size of 104 ± 54 nm were obtained using ultrasonic dispersal and centrifugation. Intracellular accumulation and localization of AlPc were studied on HeLa and THP-1 cell cultures and macrophages (M0, M1, M2) by fluorescence microscopy. Crystallinity was assessed by XRD spectroscopy. Time-resolved spectroscopy was used to obtain characteristic fluorescence kinetics of AlPc NPs upon interaction with cell cultures. The photodynamic efficiency and fluorescence quantum yield of AlPc NPs in HeLa and THP-1 cells were evaluated. After entering the cells, AlPc NPs localized in lysosomes and fluorescence corresponding to individual AlPc molecules were observed, as well as destruction of lysosomes and a rapid decrease in fluorescence intensity during photodynamic action. The photodynamic efficiency of AlPc NPs in THP-1 cells was almost 1.8-fold that of the molecular form of AlPc (Photosens). A new mechanism for the occurrence of fluorescence and phototoxicity of AlPc NPs in interaction with cells is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ternary planar heterojunction organic solar cells (PHJ-OPVs) were fabricated using three organic small molecules, alpha-sexithiophene (α-6T), aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlPcCl) and fullerene (C60). These molecules can be easily sublimated under a vacuum; they have complementary optical absorption spectra and their energy band structure alignment is favorable for electronic charge transfers. Moreover, α-6T and AlPcCl have almost the same HOMO, which is desirable to avoid any decrease in open circuit voltage. The AlPcCl intercalated layer bridges the energy levels of the electron donor, α-6T, and the electron acceptor, C60, which facilitates charge transport through the energy cascade effect. Moreover, the charge carrier mobility measurements of AlPcCl, using the space charge limited current method, demonstrated that it iss ambipolar. All these properties combine to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PHJ-OPVs by moving from binary structures (α-6T/C60, α-6T/AlPcCl and AlPcCl/C60) to ternary ones (α-6T/AlPcCl/C60). We show, in this study, that both interfaces of the ternary PHJ-OPVs are efficient for carrier separation. After optimization of the different layer thickness, we show that, by comparing the optimum efficiencies of the binary PHJ-OPVs, the realization of ternary PHJ-OPVs, based on the active layers α-6T/AlPcCl/C60, using the following optimized method, allows us to achieve a PCE of 4.33%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is an immunosuppressive enzyme that is highly overexpressed in various cancer cells and antigen-presenting cells. It has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer immunotherapy, which has prompted high interest in the development of small-molecule inhibitors. To discover novel IDO1 inhibitors, we designed and synthesized a series of N'-hydroxyindazolecarboximidamides. Among the compounds synthesized, compound 8a inhibited both tryptophan depletion and kynurenine production through the IDO1 enzyme. Molecular docking studies revealed that 8a binds to IDO1 with the same binding mode as the analog, epacadostat (INCB24360). Here, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of these hydroxyindazolecarboximidamides and present the molecular docking study of 8a with IDO1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]