Department of PhysicsDepartment of Chemistry2024-11-0920220045-206810.1016/j.bioorg.2022.1057252-s2.0-85126525592http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105725https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/10444A cysteine (Cys) activatable chlorinated hemicyanine (Cl-Cys) was introduced as a tumour selective image guided dual phototherapy agent. Cl-Cys exhibited a significant turn on response in its near-IR emission signal and activated its singlet oxygen generation as well as photothermal conversion potentials upon reacting with Cys. The laser irradiation of Cl-Cys induced significant cell death in cancer cells with high Cys level, while it stayed deactivated and non-emissive in a healthy cell line. A profound synergistic PDT/PTT effect was observed at high doses. Remarkably, Cl-Cys marks the first ever example of Cys-responsive small organic-based therapeutic agent and holds a great promise to develop new activity-based photosensitizers for dual phototherapy action.BiochemistryMolecular biologyChemistry, organicJournal Article1090-2120788718500004Q17263