Amphiphilic Glycoconjugated Porphyrin Heterodimers as Two-Photon Excitable Photosensitizers: Design, Synthesis, Photophysical and Photobiological Studies

International audienceA new family of amphiphilic glycoconjugated porphyrin dimers usable in two-photon photodynamic therapy was designed, prepared and characterized. The physicochemical and biological data were presented and discussed. Their two-photon absorption cross section was determined, revealing quite good performances of the compounds (d % 300 GM at 880 nm for 2 and 3 and d % 1000 GM at 840 nm for 5 and 6). Despite their promising photophysical properties, porphyrin dimers are penalized by their low solubility and an insufficient penetration into tumour cells. Incorporation into nanocarriers such as lipid vesicles could be profitable, provided that the positioning and degree of freedom of the saccharide moieties are optimal to target the receptors of the cells of interest