Supplementary MaterialsSupplementary material 41598_2019_39390_MOESM1_ESM. by measuring caspase 3 activation, DNA fragmentation, phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial morphological changes and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential as well as lysosomal membrane integrity. Overall, ZnPc and TAZnPc present good properties to be used as PSs Brequinar enzyme inhibitor with photoinactivation capacity on glioblastoma cells. Introduction Gliomas account for approximately 70% of the new cases of main brain tumors diagnosed in adults in the United States each 12 months1. Glioblastomas multiforme (classified by the World Health Business as type IV glioma) are one of the most common and aggressive forms of tumors of the central nervous system and, in the United States, more than 10,000 new cases are reported every 12 months2. The location of these tumors in crucial areas of the brain makes them hard to be removed by surgery whereas the blood-brain barrier limits the access of drugs to reach their site of action thus complicating even more the possibility of controlling their growth3,4. At present, the protocol for treatment of Glioblastomas multiforme entails surgical resection followed by chemo and radiotherapy that results in an common survival time of approximately 14.6 months5. Due to the highly invasive nature of these tumors, the surgical removal of the primary tumor bulk is usually not curative and the presence of invasive infiltrating cells prospects to the development of secondary tumors either close or distant to the location of the primary one. In addition, as with other tumors, malignancy stem cells (CSCs) play a role in the growth, maintenance and metastasis of these tumors, as well as in the resistance Brequinar enzyme inhibitor to radio and chemotherapy and tumor recurrence after treatment6C8. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective strategy for the treatment of several cancers, microbial diseases, diagnosis, as well as for cosmetic purposes9. PDT entails a nontoxic compound known as photosensitizer and visible light of the Brequinar enzyme inhibitor wavelength assimilated by the PS which in the presence of oxygen leads to the generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) and/or reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage cellular constituents leading to cell death10,11 followed by tumor regression12C15. As these reactions occur only in the local Brequinar enzyme inhibitor area of the light-absorbing photosensitizer, the biological responses are limited to the area that has been irradiated. Ideal PS should be accumulated in target tissues and rapidly eliminated to prevent secondary effects related to photosensitivity16. The main purpose of using PDT to treat tumors is usually to trigger the destruction of tumor cells by induction of cell death. Several factors influence the type of cell death that occurs after PDT: the properties, concentration, and subcellular localization of the PS, the oxygen available at the site of irradiation, the dose of Sele light delivered and the cell type17. After PDT, cells can undergo at least two types of cell death, that is, apoptosis or necrosis. The first refers to the physiological cell death that occurs without triggering inflammation or immunological responses whereas necrosis is usually a fast, non-regulated and aggressive form of cell death, generally associated with inflammatory processes18. Since PDT effects are limited to the site of irradiation, the use of this therapeutic approach for the treatment of high infiltrating gliomas has become a topic of interest for many experts. Several studies have been performed showing the potentiality of the therapy using different PSs19C24. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) and their derivatives have been considered excellent PSs (second generation) for PDT in numerous types of tumors. This type of molecule strongly absorbs in the red and near infrared regions of the visible spectrum, which corresponds to the tissue optical windows12,25,26. In addition, Pcs present high photo and chemical stability27,28. Zn(II)phthalocyanine (ZnPc) is usually a well-known Pc and several reports have proved its properties as PS for PDT13,28,29. However, to the best of our knowledge, only a few.