Evaluation of the immunogenic activity of photodynamic therapy mediated by aluminum phthalocyanine nanoemulsion in a murine melanoma model.
Immunotherapy; immunogenic cell death; PDT; DAMP; melanoma; aluminum-phthalocyanine;
Although not being one of the most common types of cancer, Melanoma is one of the most aggressive
and lethal cancers. One of the most recent therapies used and approved for these cases consists of
immunotherapies. Despite being effective in most cases of melanoma, antitumor immunotherapies are
still limited, with major side effects and harmful to patients' quality of life. A promising treatment that
has been highlighted is photodynamic therapy (PDT), due to its ability to combine the direct destruction
of the tumor cell and the stimulation of a protective immune response. Even with some effective results
against cancer, the mechanisms and actions in cancer cells by PDT are still unclear, therefore, further
studies with this approach are necessary. Thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the effect of
photodynamic therapy mediated by aluminum-phthalocyanine nanoemulsion (AlPcNE) in the induction
of immunogenic cell death in a murine melanoma model, aiming to propose a new antitumor therapeutic
alternative. B16F10 melanoma cells treated with different PDT protocols were used. In vitro
quantification of exposure of damage associated molecules (DAMPs), such as HMGB1 and ATP by elisa, as
well as visualization of calreticulin exposure in cell membranes and cell death profile were verified.