Noninvasive cardiac modulation via triplet-sensitized photoswitching in the phototherapeutic window
Journal article, 2025
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.
Author
Lukas Naimovičius
Vilnius University
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Mila Miroshnichenko
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Ekin Opar
University of Barcelona
CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina
IBEC · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
Helen Hölzel
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
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
CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina
IBEC · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
Fabio Riefolo
CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina
IBEC · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
Carlo Matera
CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina
University of Milan
IBEC · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
Kevser Harmandar
Acibadem University
Masahiko Taniguchi
North Carolina State University
Fabienne Dumoulin
Acibadem University
Jonathan S. Lindsey
North Carolina State University
Pankaj Bharmoria
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Pau Gorostiza
CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina
IBEC · Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies
Kasper Moth-Poulsen
Polytechnic University of Catalonia
Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies
Nature Communications
2041-1723 (ISSN) 20411723 (eISSN)
Vol. 16 1 6377Molecular Solar Thermal energy storage systems (MOST)
Swedish Energy Agency (2019-010724), 2019-05-07 -- 2019-09-03.
European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/951801), 2020-09-01 -- 2024-02-29.
Photo Thermal Management Materials (PHOTERM)
European Commission (EC) (EC/H2020/101002131), 2021-10-01 -- 2026-09-30.
Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Medicinal Chemistry
DOI
10.1038/s41467-025-61301-3
PubMed
40640135