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Noninvasive cardiac modulation via triplet-sensitized photoswitching in the phototherapeutic window

Author

Listed:
  • Lukas Naimovičius

    (Bellaterra
    Vilnius University)

  • Mila Miroshnichenko

    (Bellaterra)

  • Ekin Opar

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    and nanomedicine)
    University of Barcelona)

  • Helen Hölzel

    (Eduard Maristany 10–14)

  • Masa-aki Morikawa

    (Kyushu University)

  • Nobuo Kimizuka

    (Kyushu University)

  • Manvydas Dapkevičius

    (Vilnius University)

  • Justas Lekavičius

    (Vilnius University)

  • Edvinas Radiunas

    (Vilnius University)

  • Karolis Kazlauskas

    (Vilnius University)

  • Víctor Cilleros-Mañé

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    and nanomedicine))

  • Fabio Riefolo

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    and nanomedicine))

  • Carlo Matera

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    and nanomedicine)
    University of Milan)

  • Kevser Harmandar

    (Biomedical Engineering Department)

  • Masahiko Taniguchi

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Fabienne Dumoulin

    (Biomedical Engineering Department)

  • Jonathan S. Lindsey

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Pankaj Bharmoria

    (Bellaterra)

  • Pau Gorostiza

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
    and nanomedicine)
    Pg. Lluís Companys 23)

  • Kasper Moth-Poulsen

    (Bellaterra
    Eduard Maristany 10–14
    Pg. Lluís Companys 23
    Kemivagen 4)

Abstract

Red, far red, or near-infrared photoswitchable drugs offer immense photo-pharmacological advantages due to the higher light penetration through the skin. Such photoactivation is achieved using processes such as two- and three-photon absorption, excited-state absorption, and triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion, which require higher photon fluences (W to kW cm−2) than the resilience constraints of skin (200 mW cm−2). Herein, a generalized approach of cis-to-trans photoisomerization of azobenzenes is demonstrated via triplet sensitization with NIR-I illumination (850 nm) of a new Zn-octa-substituted phthalocyanine photosensitizer, in aqueous medium at 2.62 mW cm−2. The approach is applied to control the heart rate of a frog tadpole via cis-to-trans photoisomerization of an azobenzene-functionalized muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2 agonist in the phototherapeutic window (730 nm excitation: 42 mW cm−2). This advance highlights a powerful photo-pharmacological strategy for modulation of in vivo activity at 2-4 orders of magnitude lower photon fluences of NIR light compared to established methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Lukas Naimovičius & Mila Miroshnichenko & Ekin Opar & Helen Hölzel & Masa-aki Morikawa & Nobuo Kimizuka & Manvydas Dapkevičius & Justas Lekavičius & Edvinas Radiunas & Karolis Kazlauskas & Víctor Cill, 2025. "Noninvasive cardiac modulation via triplet-sensitized photoswitching in the phototherapeutic window," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61301-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61301-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Samuel N. Sanders & Tracy H. Schloemer & Mahesh K. Gangishetty & Daniel Anderson & Michael Seitz & Arynn O. Gallegos & R. Christopher Stokes & Daniel N. Congreve, 2022. "Triplet fusion upconversion nanocapsules for volumetric 3D printing," Nature, Nature, vol. 604(7906), pages 474-478, April.
    2. Yang Yang & Jinshu Huang & Wei Wei & Qin Zeng & Xipeng Li & Da Xing & Bo Zhou & Tao Zhang, 2022. "Switching the NIR upconversion of nanoparticles for the orthogonal activation of photoacoustic imaging and phototherapy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
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