Albumin Modulated Homodimer as an Efficient Photosensitizer for Long-Term Imaging-Guided Tumor Therapy Directed with Sunlight Irradiation.

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification caused by inevitable plasma albumin encapsulation is still a challenge to circumvent the systemic adverse effects in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) process. Herein, a disulfide bond linked homodimer, Cy1280, which is modulated by albumin to accurately balance the fluorescence and ROS generation and exhibit a weak fluorescence and sealed PDT effect during blood circulation, is exploited. Cy1280 can be specifically internalized and dispersed at the tumor site via Organic Anion Transporter Proteins (OATPs) and thiol-disulfide exchange mediated synergistic uptake and activated after mild sunlight irradiation (100 ± 5 Klx) to sensitize neighboring oxygen in cellular mitochondria to execute direct protein dysfunction effect.