Photoinitiated Site-Specific Drug Release

Abstract

Photoinitiated site-specific drug release is the process of encapsulating pharmaceutical compounds in a lipid-membrane vesicle and then exposing the vesicles to light. Upon exposure to 410 nm light, the vesicle ruptures and releases the drugs in a localized area. Chemotherapy is an effective yet toxic treatment for many cancers because of the treatment’s inability to target a select area. The purpose of this research is to use photoinitiated drug release as an alternative treatment solution that would prevent medication toxicity. The vesicle lipid membranes are composed of 1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-PC (DMPC) and Spiropyran, a light-sensitive molecule. When excited, Spiropyran changes its chemical structure to a larger molecule, which disrupts the membrane structure, resulting in vesicle lysis. A chemiluminescent reaction was used to quantify the effectiveness of vesicle containment. Luminol and hydrogen peroxide react to produce a blue glow that is absorbed at approximately 540 nm; Tracker Analysis and Modeling Tool was used to quantify the chemiluminescent reaction. This research demonstrates that DMPC-Spiropyran membrane vesicles have the potential to be used in photoinitiated drug release.