The Development of a New Water-Soluble Zinc Porphyrin, ZnTPP-2MP, as a Photodynamic Therapy Agent

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy is a new technique used in cancer treatment involving the use of a photosensitizer and light exposure to kill malignant cells. This research tested the use of ZnTPP-2MP as a photosensitizer using white light as a source of possible treatment of the A549 cancer cell line, with preliminary testing on MYC-22 and other G-quadruplex DNA samples. ZnTPP-2MP was synthesized by the reaction of the porphyrin, ZnTPPC, with 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol. Following synthesis, the new porphyrin was purified by column chromatography using Sephadex LH-20 and G-50. To confirm the identity and structure of the product, ZnTPP-2MP was analyzed through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and fluorescence spectroscopies. Purity of the final compound was determined using HPLC. A reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay was performed using the novel porphyrin, as well as an MTT assay for cell viability