Photosensitizer-metal nanoparticle complex and composition containing the complex for photodynamic therapy or diagnosis

Abstract

Provided are a photosensitizer-metal nanoparticle complex and a composition for photodynamic therapy or diagnosis having the same. The complex includes a photosensitizer, a metal nanoparticle, and a backbone linking the photosensitizer with the metal nanoparticle. The backbone has a polypeptide substrate capable of being specifically degraded by a protease. When the complex is administered to a patient, fluorescence and production of reactive oxygen species from the conjugated photosensitizers are inhibited in normal tissues due to the resonance energy transfer between the photosensitizer and metal nanoparticles, but in tumor tissues, fluorescence and production of reactive oxygen species from the released photosensitizers are activated, thereby effectively destroying the tumor tissues. In addition, the selective fluorescence in the tumor tissues can further improve accuracy of tumor diagnosis using the protease-activatable photosensitizer-metal nanoparticle complex.