Konposatu organometalikoak terapia fotodinamikorako

Abstract

In the search of new and efficient photosensitizers, in this work BODIPY-bonded Iridium (III) cyclometalated compounds (BODIPY: 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene dyes) have been synthetized and characterized. Through a rational design, compounds absorbing light in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum have been achieved, which efficiently generate singlet oxygen, even at wavelengths reaching the clinic window, where the penetration in tissues is higher. Phosphorescence and time-resolved measurements and theoretical calculations have been carried out in order to explain the photosensitization activity of the compounds, and the results suggest that the BODIPY moiety is the responsible for the singlet oxygen generation. Photodynamic Therapy activity has been studied in vitro with HeLa cells. These experiments showed that the complexes are efficiently internalized into the cells and display low dark-toxicity and high-phototoxicity even at low concentration rates. As a result, it can be asserted that the compounds herein described are potentially suitable as theragnostic agents, since they exhibit also fluorescence emission in addition to the photosensitizing activity.