Abstract:
Nanoparticles containing a photosensitizer configured to generate a reactive oxygen species when exposed to an appropriate wavelength of light can be used to enhance immunogenicity of cancer cells, such as breast cancer cells. Such enhanced immunogenicity cancer cells, or supernatants thereof, can be used to activate dendritic cells or cause dendritic cells to produce INF-gamma. Nanoparticles having mitochondria-targeting moieties are more effective at enhancing the immunogenicity of the cancer cells, or causing the dendritic cells to produce IFN-gamma, than nanoparticle lacking mitochondria-targeting moieties or free photo sensitizer.