Preclinical photodynamic therapy research in Spain 4: Cytoskeleton and adhesion complexes of cultured tumor cells as targets of photosensitizers

SANZ-RODRÍGUEZ, FRANCISCO; CASAS, ADRIANA; GONZÁLEZ, SALVADOR; ESPADA, JESÚS; JAÉN, PEDRO; REGADERA, JAVIER; BLÁZQUEZ-CASTRO, ALFONSO; ZAMARRÓN, ALICIA; BAGAZGOITIA, LOREA; IGLESIAS DE LA CRUZ, CARMEN; JUARRANZ, ÁNGELES

JOURNAL OF PORPHYRINS AND PHTHALOCYANINES

WORLD SCI PUBL CO INC

Año: 2009 vol. 13 p. 552 - 559

1088-4246

Tumor cell death induced by photodynamic therapy (PDT) with different photosensitizers (PSs) is due to the selective damage of several membranous organelles including mitochondria, lysosomes and Golgi apparatus. Other cell structures such as the cytoskeleton (CSK) (microtubules, actin microfilaments and cytokeratin intermediate filaments) and the cell adhesion components (cadherins and integrins) are also implicated in cell death induced by PSs. CSK and adhesion components are responsible for many cellular functions such as the maintenance of morphology, motility, division and adhesion, all of them of fundamental importance for growth and dissemination of tumors. Therefore, they are considered very important targets for anticancer therapies, including PDT. In addition, similarly to the rest of the anticancer therapies, PDT often leaves a significant number of surviving tumor cells. The reorganization of CSK as well as the adhesion proteins in the PDT resistant cells affect their invasive migratory capabilities. Taking into account all these features, both CSK and adhesion proteins are crucial targets of PDT. © 2009 World Scientific Publishing Company.