Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Photodynamic Therapy-Induced Oxidative Stress for Cancer Treatment

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Oxidative Stress in Cancer: Therapeutic Aspects

  • 20 Accesses

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising, minimally invasive cancer therapy. This clinically approved treatment is usually carried out in two stages. In the first step, the photosensitizer (PS) is administered into the body of the patient and allowed to localize at neoplastic regions. Subsequently, in the second step, the neoplastic area is irradiated with specific wavelength of light from a laser source. Upon irradiation the photosensitizer (PS) gets excited and takes part in photochemical reactions by producing free radicals and/or singlet oxygen molecules that induce oxidative stress in cancer cells. These reactive oxygen species (ROS) target many cellular macromolecules like nucleic acids, lipids, proteins, and vitamins. PDT activates many signaling pathways that results in activation of caspases leading to apoptosis. Further, necrosis is the mode of cell death when high doses of PDT were used. PDT generated singlet oxygen molecules activate RIP-mediated necrotic pathway. PDT exerts anticancer activity directly by killing the cancer cells and indirectly by damaging the tumor vasculature and by activating antitumor immunity. In this chapter, the mechanism of PDT-induced oxidative damage of cellular components and cell death through multiple signaling pathways is discussed in detail. Understanding the chemical and biological processes involved in PDT will help in devising ways to increase photodynamic therapeutic efficiency against cancer. The measures to make PDT an efficient cancer therapeutic modality by overcoming cancer cell survival pathways that operate after PDT are also discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agarwal ML, Larkin HE, Zaidi SIA, Mukhtar H, Oleinick NL (1993) Phospholipid activation triggers apoptosis in photosensitized mouse lymphoma cells. Cancer Res 53:5897–5902

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Allison RR, Downie GH, Cuenca R, Hu X, Childs CJH, Sibata CH (2004) Photosensitizers in clinical PDT. Photodiagn Photodyn Ther 1:27–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Almeida RD, Manadas BJ, Carvalho AP, Duarte CB (2004) Intracellular signaling mechanisms in photodynamic therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta 1704:59–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Athar M, Mukhtar H, Elmets CA, Zaim MT, Lloyd JR, Bickers DR (1988) In situ evidence for the involvement of superoxide anions in cutaneous porphyrin photosensitization. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 151:1054–1059

    Google Scholar 

  • Baptista MS, Cadet J, Mascio PD, Ghogare AA, Greer A, Hamblin MR, Lorente C, Nunez SC, Ribeiro MS, Thomas AH, Vignoni M, Yoshimura TM (2017) Type I and type II photosensitized oxidation reactions: guidelines and mechanistic pathways. Photochem Photobiol 93:912–919

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benov L (2015) Photodynamic therapy: current status and future directions. Med Princ Pract 24:14–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadet J, Loft S, Olinski R et al (2012) Biologically relevant oxidants and terminology, classification and nomenclature of oxidatively generated damage to nucleobases and 2-deoxyribose in nucleic acids. Free Radic Res 46:467–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caruso JA, Mathieu PA, Joiakim A, Leeson B, Kessel D, Sloane BF, Reiners JJ Jr (2004) Differential susceptibilities of murine hepatoma 1c1c7 and Tao cells to the lysosomal photosensitizer NPe6: Influence of aryl hydrocarbon receptor on lysosomal fragility and protease contents. Mol Pharmacol 65:1016–1028

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Castano AP, Demidova TN, Hamblin MR (2004) Mechanisms in photodynamic therapy: part one-photosensitizers, photochemistry and cellular localization. Photodiagn Photodyn Ther 1:279–293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cekaite L, Peng Q, Reiner A, Shahzidi S, Tveito S, Furre IE, Hovig E (2007) Mapping of oxidative stress responses of human tumor cells following photodynamic therapy using hexaminolevulinate. BMC Genomics 8:273–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaloupka R, Obsil T, Plasek J, Sureau F (1999) The effect of hypericin and hypocrellin-A on lipid membranes and membrane potential of 3T3 fibroblasts. Biochim Biophys Acta 1418:39–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chilakamarthi U, Giribabu L (2017) Photodynamic therapy: past, present and future. Chem Rec 17:1–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiu SM, Oleinick NL (2001) Dissociation of mitochondrial depolarization from cytochrome c release during apoptosis induced by photodynamic therapy. Br J Cancer 84:1099–1106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coupienne I, Fettweis G, Rubio N, Agostinis P, Piette J (2011) 5-ALA-PDT induces RIP3-dependent necrosis in glioblastoma. Photochem Photobiol Sci 10:1868–1878

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DÄ…browski JM (2017) Reactive oxygen species in photodynamic therapy: mechanisms of their generation and potentiation. Adv Inorg Chem 70:343–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du L, Jiang N, Wang G, Chu Y, Lin W, Qian J, Zhang Y, Zheng J, Chen G (2014) Autophagy inhibition sensitizes bladder cancer cells to the photodynamic effects of the novel photosensitizer chlorophyllin e4. J Photochem Photobiol B Biol 133:1–10

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrario A, Rucker N, Wong S, Luna M, Gomer CJ (2007) Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family, is induced by photodynamic therapy and is a target for improving treatment response. Cancer Res 67:4989–4995

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Furre IE, Moller MT, Shahzidi S, Nesland JM, Peng Q (2006) Involvement of both caspase dependent and independent pathways in apoptotic induction by hexaminolevulinate mediated photodynamic therapy in human lymphoma cells. Apoptosis 11(11):2031–2042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Girotti AW (2001) Photosensitized oxidation of membrane lipids: reaction pathways, cytotoxic effects, and cytoprotective mechanisms. J Photochem Photobiol B Biol 63:103–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Girotti AW, Kriska T (2004) Role of lipid hydroperoxides in photo-oxidative stress signaling. Antioxid Redox Signal 6:301–310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golab J, Nowis D, Skrzycki M, Czeczot H, Baranczyk-Kuzma A, Wilczynski GM, Makowski M, Mroz P, Kozar K, Kaminski R, Jalili A, Kopec M, Grzela T, Jakobisiak M (2003) Antitumor effects of photodynamic therapy are potentiated by 2-methoxyestradiol. A superoxide dismutase inhibitor. J Biol Chem 278:407–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grebenova D, Kuzelova K, Smetana K et al (2003) Mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptotic pathways are activated by 5-aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy in HL60 leukemia cells. J Photochem Photobiol B 69:71–85

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessel D, Castelli M (2001) Evidence that bcl-2 is the target of three photosensitizers that induce a rapid apoptotic response. Photochem Photobiol 74:318–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korbelik M, Sun J, Cecic I (2005) Photodynamic therapy-induced cell surface expression and release of heat shock proteins: relevance for tumor response. Cancer Res 65:1018–1026

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kralova J, Dvorak M, Koc M, Kral V (2008) p38 MAPK plays an essential role in apoptosis induced by photoactivation of a novel ethylene glycol porphyrin derivative. Oncogene 27:3010–3020

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kroemer G, Jaattela M (2005) Lysosomes and autophagy in cell death control. Nat. Rev Cancer 5:886–897

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maiya BG (2000) Photodynamic therapy (PDT), Basic principles. Resonance 5:6–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaeli A, Feitelson J (1994) Reactivity of singlet oxygen toward amino acids and peptides. Photochem Photobiol 59:284–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller AC, Henderson BW (1986) The influence of cellular glutathione content on cell survival following photodynamic treatment in vitro. Radiat Res 107:83–94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamed Ali S, Chee SK, Yuen GY, Olivo M (2002) Hypericin induced death receptor-mediated apoptosis in photoactivated tumor cells, Int. J Mol Med 9:601–616

    Google Scholar 

  • Mroz P, Bhaumik J, Dogutan DK et al (2009) Imidazole metalloporphyrins as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy: role of molecular charge, central metal and hydroxyl radical production. Cancer Lett 282:63–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mroz P, Yaroslavsky A, Kharkwal GB, Hamblin MR (2011) Cell death pathways in photodynamic therapy of cancer. Cancers (Basel) 3:2516–2539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noodt BB, Berg K, Stokke T, Peng Q, Nesland JM (1999) Different apoptotic pathways are induced from various intracellular sites by tetraphenylporphyrins and light. Br J Cancer 79:72–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oleinick NL, Morris RL, Belichenko I (2002) The role of apoptosis in response to photodynamic therapy: what, where, why, and how. Photochem Photobiol Sci 1:1–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reiners JJ, Agostinis P, Berg K, Oleinick NL, Kessel DH (2010) Assessing autophagy in the context of photodynamic therapy. Autophagy 6:7–18

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruvolo PP, Deng X, Ito T, Carr BK, May WS (1999) Ceramide induces Bcl-2 dephosphorylation via a mechanism involving mitochondrial pp2A. J Biol Chem 274:20296–20300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharman WM, Allen CM, Van Lier JE (2000) Role of activated oxygen species in photodynamic therapy. Methods Enzymol 319:376–400

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A (2021) Cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin 70:7–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szokalska A, Makowski M, Nowis D, Wilczynski GM, Kujawa M, Wojcik C, Mlynarczuk-Bialy I, Salwa P, Bil J, Janowska S, Agostinis P, Verfaillie T, Bugajski M, Gietka J, Issat T, Glodkowska E, Mrowka P, Stoklosa T, Hamblin MR, Mroz P, Jakobisiak M, Golab J (2009) Proteasome inhibition potentiates antitumor effects of photodynamic therapy in mice through induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response. Cancer Res 69:4235–4243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi H, Itoh Y, Miyauchi Y, Nakajima S, Sakata I, Yamamoto AI, Iizuka H (2003) Activation of two caspase cascades, caspase 8/3/6 and caspase 9/3/6, during photodynamic therapy using a novel photosensitizer ATX-S10(Na) in normal human keratinocytes. Arch Dermatol Res 295:242–248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valli F, García Vior MC, Roguin LP, Marino J (2020) Crosstalk between oxidative stress-induced apoptotic and autophagic signaling pathways in Zn(II) phthalocyanine photodynamic therapy of melanoma. Free Radic Biol Med 152:743–754

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang HP, Hanlon JG, Rainbow AJ, Espiritu M, Singh G (2002) Up-regulation of Hsp27 plays a role in the resistance of human colon carcinoma HT29 cells to photooxidative stress. Photochem Photobiol 76:98–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weyergang A, Berg K, Kaalhus O, Peng Q, Selbo PK (2009) Photodynamic therapy targets the mTOR signaling network in vitro and in vivo. Mol Pharm 6:255–264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xue LY, Chiu SM, Oleinick NL (2001) Photochemical destruction of the Bcl-2 oncoprotein during photodynamic therapy with the phthalocyanine photosensitizer Pc 4. Oncogene 20:3420–3427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ziółkowska B, Woźniak M, Ziółkowski P (2016) Co-expression of autophagic markers following photodynamic therapy in SW620 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. Mol Med Rep 14:2548–2554

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely thank DST for the financial support to Ushasri under WOS-A Scheme (SR/WOS-A/LS-1374/2014) (G) and Padma under WOS-A Scheme (SR/WOS-A/CS-1115/2015). We are thankful to DKIM division (IICT Communication No. IICT/Pubs/2021/178) for their support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymers and functional materials Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

    Ushasri Chilakamarthi & Lingamallu Giribabu

  2. Fluoro-agrochemials Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

    Padma S. Singu

Authors
  1. Ushasri Chilakamarthi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Padma S. Singu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lingamallu Giribabu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ushasri Chilakamarthi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India

    Sajal Chakraborti

Section Editor information

  1. Laser Research Centre, Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Heidi Abrahamse

  2. The Loop Immuno-Oncology Laboratory, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Seema Gupta

  3. Radiation and Cancer Therapeutics Lab, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India

    Nupur and A. B. Tiku

  4. Department of Biochemistry, Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana, India

    Kiran Dahiya

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Chilakamarthi, U., Singu, P.S., Giribabu, L. (2022). Photodynamic Therapy-Induced Oxidative Stress for Cancer Treatment. In: Chakraborti, S. (eds) Handbook of Oxidative Stress in Cancer: Therapeutic Aspects. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5422-0_58

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation