Carbohydrate-conjugated porphyrin dimers: Synthesis and photobiological evaluation for a potential application in one-photon and two-photon photodynamic therapy

Abstract: We report the synthesis of bioconjugated zinc porphyrin dimers 1a–e designed as photosensitizers for one-photon and two-photon excited photodynamic therapy. These macrocycles are substituted with carbohydrate units (glucose, mannose, lactose) in order to target tumor cells over-expressing lectin membrane receptors. Polarity, singlet oxygen production and in vitro photocytotoxicity are studied to determine their photodynamic therapy potentiality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]