Synthesis and Application of Folate-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy Agent Modeled in Zebrafish Embryos
Major
Chemistry
Anticipated Graduation Year
2021
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
This project investigates use of folate for targeted delivery of photosensitizers to tumors in photodynamic therapy. A photosensitizer, chlorin e6, produces toxic singlet oxygen through excitation by light, causing apoptosis. However, lack of selective targeting remains a challenge in cancer treatments. Folate, an essential vitamin, is used to serve as targeting agent since cancerous cells that are rapidly dividing over-express folate receptors. Folate has been conjugated to Ce6 on a bovine serum albumin carrier and is brought into the cell by endocytosis. The treatment has been applied to zebrafish embryos because the rapidly dividing embryonic cells possess an ortholog to the human FOLR1 receptor.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Rodney M. Dale, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology at Loyola University Chicago; Kenneth W. Olsen, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Loyola University Chicago
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Synthesis and Application of Folate-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy Agent Modeled in Zebrafish Embryos
This project investigates use of folate for targeted delivery of photosensitizers to tumors in photodynamic therapy. A photosensitizer, chlorin e6, produces toxic singlet oxygen through excitation by light, causing apoptosis. However, lack of selective targeting remains a challenge in cancer treatments. Folate, an essential vitamin, is used to serve as targeting agent since cancerous cells that are rapidly dividing over-express folate receptors. Folate has been conjugated to Ce6 on a bovine serum albumin carrier and is brought into the cell by endocytosis. The treatment has been applied to zebrafish embryos because the rapidly dividing embryonic cells possess an ortholog to the human FOLR1 receptor.