Ce6 nanoassemblies: Molecular mechanism and strategies for combinational anticancer therapy

Nowadays, cancer has become the leading cause of death worldwide, driving the need for effective therapeutics to improve patient prognosis. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been widely applied as an antitumor modality, owing to its minimal invasiveness, localized tumor damage, and high safety profile. However, its efficacy is limited by poor stability of photosensitizers, inadequate tumor accumulation, and a complex tumor microenvironment. To overcome these challenges, extensive endeavors have been made to explore the co-assembly of the widely used photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) with various functional small molecules to enhance pharmacodynamic activity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current studies on Ce6-based nanoparticles for effective PDT and precise delivery of functional molecules. The self-assembly mechanism will be discussed in detail, with a focus on potential strategies for combinational therapy with PDT. The photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) emerges as a promising option for molecular self-assembly owing to its planar conjugated structure and hydrophobicity. The resulting self-assembled nanoparticles exhibit enhanced pharmacokinetic profile and excellent biocompatibility. This review summarizes the recent advancements in using Ce6-based nanoparticles for combinational therapy involving efficient photodynamic therapy and precise delivery of functional molecules.image