Smart nanostructures for targeted oxygen-producing photodynamic therapy of skin photoaging and potential mechanism.

Photodynamic therapy increases collagen and decreases solar fibrosis in photoaged skin; however, the efficacy of photodynamic therapy is limited in tissues with a hypoxic microenvironment. A novel autogenous oxygen-targeted nanoparticle, named MCZT, was synthesized based on the zeolitic imidazole framework material ZIF-8, methyl aminolevulinate, catalase and an anti-TRPV1 monoclonal antibody, and its effects on skin photoaging were investigated. MCZT was successfully synthesized and showed uniform particle size, good dispersion, and excellent biocompatibility and safety. Moreover, MCZT effectively alleviated UV-induced inflammation, cellular senescence and apoptosis in HFF-1 cells. In models, MCZT ameliorated UV-evoked erythema and wrinkling, inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as the loss of collagen fibers and water, in the skin of mice. These findings suggest that MCZT holds promising potential for the treatment of skin photoaging.