Recent progress in metal complexes functionalized nanomaterials for photodynamic therapy

• Published in: Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) Vol. 59; no. 46; p. 6956
• Main Authors: Wei, Fangmian, Chen, Zhuoli, Shen, Xing-Can, Ji, Liangnian, Chao, Hui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 06-06-2023
• Subjects: Combined Modality Therapy; Coordination Complexes - chemistry; Coordination Complexes - pharmacology; Coordination Complexes - therapeutic use; Humans; Nanostructures - chemistry; Neoplasms - pathology; Photochemotherapy; Photosensitizing Agents - chemistry; Photosensitizing Agents - pharmacology; Photosensitizing Agents - therapeutic use; Tumor Microenvironment
• ISSN: 1364-548X
• DOI: 10.1039/d3cc01355c

Metal complexes have shown promise as photosensitizers for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. However, the vast majority of metal photosensitizers are not ideal and associated with several limitations including pharmacokinetic limitations, off-target toxicity, fast systemic clearance, poor membrane permeability, and hypoxic tumour microenvironments. Metal complex functionalized nanomaterials have the potential to construct multifunctional systems, which not only overcome the above defects of metal complexes but are also conducive to modulating the tumour microenvironment (TME) and employing combination therapies to boost photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy. In this review, we first introduce the current challenges of photodynamic therapy and summarize the recent research strategies (such as metal coordination bonds, self-assembly, π-π stacking, physisorption, and so on) used for preparing metal complexes functionalized nanomaterials in the application of PDT.