Single-Photon Deep-Red Light-Triggered Direct Release of an Anticancer Drug: An Investigative Tumor Regression Study on a Breast Cancer Spheroidal Tumor Model

Breast adenocarcinoma ranks high among the foremost lethal
cancers
affecting women globally, with its triple-negative subtype posing
the greatest challenge due to its aggressiveness and resistance to
treatment. To enhance survivorship and patients’ quality of
life, exploring advanced therapeutic approaches beyond conventional
chemotherapies is imperative. To address this, innovative nanoscale
drug delivery systems have been developed, offering precise, localized,
and stimuli-triggered release of anticancer agents. Here, we present
perylenemonoimide nanoparticle-based vehicles engineered for deep-red
light activation, enabling direct chlorambucil release. Synthesized
via the reprecipitation technique, these nanoparticles were thoroughly
characterized. Light-induced drug release was monitored via spectroscopic
and reverse-phase HPLC. The efficacy of the said drug delivery system
was evaluated in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional spheroidal
cancer models, demonstrating significant tumor regression attributed
to apoptotic cell death induced by efficient drug release within cells
and spheroids. This approach holds promise for advancing targeted
breast cancer therapy, enhancing treatment efficacy and minimizing
adverse effects.