Selective on the outside deadly on the inside: Superior photodynamic therapy of EGFR1 positive colon cancer cells by selenophene‐BODIPY loaded SPIONs2

Development of targeted nanoparticles as carriers to deliver photosensitizers to cancer cells is highly beneficial for ensuring expected therapeutic outcome of photodynamic therapy. Here, polyacrylic acid (PAA) coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), conjugated with endothelial growth factor receptor targeting Cetuximab (Cet) were loaded with a BODIPY-based (BOD-Se-I) photosensitizer (Cet-PAA@SPION/BOD-Se-I) to achieve enhanced and selective photodynamic therapy on colon cancer cells. In vitro studies showed that Cet-PAA@SPION/BOD-Se-I improved phototoxicity dramatically compared to free BOD-Se-I on HT29 cell line due to high uptake of the PS via endothelial growth factor receptor. Most importantly, the developed nano-agent completely eliminated the phototoxicity of BOD-Se-I on healhty L929 cell line.