A redox-responsive viologen–cavitand nanocarrier for dual-function photodynamic therapy

• Andrey A. Maslennikov,
• Alexey Yu. Usanyov,
• Amir A. Shamsutdinov,
• Anna P. Lyubina,
• Andrey A. Parfenov,
• Alexandra D. Voloshina,
• Irek R. Nizameev,
• Marsil K. Kadirov,
• Rezeda R. Fazleeva,
• Vitaly V. Yanilkin,
• Kseniya A. Zhdanova,
• Natal’ya A. Bragina,
• Albina Y. Ziganshina and
• Igor S. Antipin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 1142–1158, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.78

• this, we developed a redox-responsive polymeric nanocarrier through free-radical polymerization of a pre-assembled micellar ensemble. This ensemble formed spontaneously in aqueous solution by encapsulating the hydrophobic photosensitizer meso-tetrakis(p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin within a core composed of

• cell death mechanisms were confirmed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, establishing the developed redox-responsive system as an effective candidate for targeted photodynamic therapy. Keywords: glutathione-triggered release; meso-tetrakis(p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin; photodynamic therapy

• -Tetrakis(p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (THPP) has been extensively studied as an isomer of temoporfin, marketed under the trade name Foscan®. However, unlike its meta-isomer, THPP was halted at the preclinical testing stage in favor of Foscan® development [19][20]. Due to the presence of p-hydroxyphenyl groups