Tissue Eng Regen Med.  2021 Dec;18(6):941-951. 10.1007/s13770-021-00377-6.

Near-infrared Transillumination and Photodynamic Therapy Using Hypericin in Animal Laryngeal Tumors

• Lee H
• Kim SW
• Kwon DY
• Kang HW
• Jung MJ
• Kim JH
• Ahn YC
• Oak C

• KMID: 2522569
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-021-00377-6

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We aimed to validate a pilot study of photodiagnosis using near infrared (NIR) transillumination and assess the clinical efficacy of hypericin-mediated photodynamic therapy (HYP-PDT) in a rabbit laryngeal cancer model in order to develop a novel therapeutic modality with complete remission and preservation of the functional organ.
METHODS
(1) In vitro study: VX tumor cells were subcultured and subjected to HYP-PDT. (2) In vivo study: A laryngeal cancer model was developed in which 12 rabbits were inoculated with a VX tumor suspension in the submucosal area of the left vocal fold using a transoral approach. All rabbits underwent NIR transillumination using light with a wavelength of 780 nm. The survival periods of the three treatment groups (6 rabbits in Group A: HYP-PDT, 3 each in Groups B and C: laser irradiation or HYP administration only) were analyzed.
RESULTS
The higher the HYP concentration, the lower the VX cell viability in response to HYP-PDT using 590 nm LED. Following HYP-PDT, small tumors in Group A-1 rabbits healed completely and the animals demonstrated a long survival period, and larger tumors in Group A-2 healed partially with a survival period that extended over 3 weeks after inoculation. The survival of Groups B and C were not different over the first 3 weeks of the study, and were shorter than in Group A.
CONCLUSION
We found HYP-PDT could be a curative therapy for early-stage cancers that may also preserve organ function, and may inhibit tumor progression and metastasis during advanced stages of laryngeal cancer.

Keyword

Hypericin; Photodynamic therapy; Laryngeal cancer