Using Photo-Deoxygenation Induced Apoptosis to Treat Cancer

SLU ID 18-003 | Induced Cytotoxicity via Photo-Deoxygenation

Background

Photo-dynamic therapy is currently used to treat certain cancers via light by using organic and inorganic compounds that are excited by specific wavelengths of light. Photo-dynamic therapies often use chelated metals to produce oxygen radicals which will then go onto make reactive oxygen species. Due to the triphenylphosphonium substituent, the molecule is hypothesized to aggregate and target mitochondria, which could prove beneficial in cancer therapeutics.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have synthesized a molecule that undergoes S-O bond cleavage to produce a toxic compound. They have conducted experiments that demonstrate a decrease in percent cell viability of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells when they are exposed to the molecule and irradiated with UV-A.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• Increasing the targeting of mitochondria

• Increasing induction of apoptosis

• Increasing the options for treating various types of cancers

• Minimizing adverse effects of cancer therapies

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include:

• Photodynamic therapies for treating cancer

• Receptor targeted cancer therapies

• Drug development

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking partners to further develop and commercialize this technology.