Electroporation of transplantable tumour for the enhanced accumulation of photosensitizers

The aim of this study was to verify whether electroporation could increase the accumulation of the hydrophilic photosensitizers: aluminium phthalocyanine tetrasulphonate (AlPcS4) and chlorin e6 (C e6) in tumour tissue. The experiment was performed in vivo using hybrid mice (C57Bl/CBA) bearing hepatoma A22 (MH-A22) tumours transplanted in the right haunch. The time dependence of the fluorescence intensity of administered photosensitizers was measured after the ordinary and electrically stimulated delivery. The obtained fluorescence spectroscopy results implied the tumour being affected by an electrical field in a way, which led to a higher accumulation of both photosensitizers (AlPcS4 and C e6) in the periphery of the tumour and it superficial layer. Our pilot study suggests that electroporation could be considered as a useful procedure seeking for the more effective application of photodynamic tumour treatment.