Abstract
Indocyanine green (ICG) is a nontoxic registered photosensitizer used as a diagnostic tool and for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Hypoxia is one the main factors affecting PDT efficacy. Perfluorodecalin emulsion (Perftoran
®
) is a known oxygen carrier
.
This study investigated the effect of Perftoran
®
on ICG/PDT efficacy in presence and absence of Perftoran
®
via
evaluation of phototoxicity by MTT; hypoxia estimation by pimonidazole, HIF-1
α
/
β
by ELISA, and 17 miRNAs (tumor suppressors, oncomiRs, and hypoxamiRs) were analyzed by qPCR. Compared to ICG/PDT, Perftoran
®
/ICG/PDT led to higher photocytotoxicity, inhibited pimonidazole hypoxia adducts, inhibited HIF-1
α
/
β
concentrations, induced the expression of tumor-suppressing miRNAs let-7b/d/f/g, and strongly inhibited the pro-hypoxia miRNA let-7i. Additionally, Perftoran
®
/ICG/PDT suppressed the expression of the oncomiRs miR-155, miR-30c, and miR-181a and the hypoxamiRs miR-210 and miR-21 compared to ICG/PDT. In conclusion, Perftoran
®
induced the phototoxicity of ICG/PDT and inhibited ICG/PDT-hypoxia
via
suppressing HIF-
α
/
β
, miR-210, miR-21, let-7i, miR-15a, miR-30c, and miR-181a and by inducing the expression of let-7d/f and miR-15b.