Self-Chemiluminescence-Triggered Ir(III) Complex Photosensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy against Hypoxic Tumor

Abstract

The limited optical penetration depth and hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) are key factors that hinder the practical applications of conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT). To fundamentally address these issues, self-luminescent photosensitizers (PSs) can achieve efficient PDT. Herein, a self-chemiluminescence (CL)-triggered Ir complex PS, namely, <b>IrL2</b>, with low-O₂-dependence type I photochemical processes is reported for efficient PDT. The rational design achieves efficient chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) from covalently bonded luminol units to the Ir complex in <b>IrL2</b> under the catalysis of H₂O₂ and hemoglobin (Hb) to generate O₂^•- and ¹O₂. Liposome <b>IrL2H</b> nanoparticles (NPs) are constructed by loading <b>IrL2</b> and Hb. The intracellular H₂O₂ and loaded Hb catalyze the luminol part of <b>IrL2H</b>, and the <b>Ir2</b> part is then excited to produce types I and II reactive oxygen species (ROS) through CRET, inducing cell death, even under hypoxic conditions, and promoting cell apoptosis. <b>IrL2H</b> is used for tumor imaging and inhibits tumor growth in 4T1-bearing mouse models through intratumoral injection without external light sources. This work provides new designs for transition metal complex PSs that conquer the limitations of external light sources and the hypoxic TME in PDT.