Dye-sensitized photoinactivation of tumor cells in vitro.

Abstract

The in vitro photodynamic inactivation of a wide variety of tumor cells was studied with various dyes used as sensitizers. The capacity of dyes to act as photosensitizers in this system parallels their capacity to sensitize the photoinactivation of many other substrates and correlates with their capacity to undergo photoreduction. Some dyes are able to inactivate tumor cells in the absence of light. Photodynamic inactivation of the tumor cells destroys their tumor-producing capacity but does not change their dye-binding capacity.