AUTHOR=Xu Wenze , Zhang Mengfan , Wang Wenhui , Wang Manzhou , Li Bingjie , Li Hao , Kuang Donglin , Liang Chao , Ren Jianzhuang , Duan Xuhua 

TITLE=Covalent organic polymer induces apoptosis of liver cancer cells via photodynamic and photothermal effects

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.986839

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2022.986839

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the photodynamic and photothermal effects of the supramolecular material Purp@COP and to test the anti-cancer effect on HepG2 cells <italic>in vitro</italic>.</p><sec><title>Materials and methods</title><p>Purp@COP is a covalent organic polymer (COP) with robust tailoring heteroatom incorporation, plentiful pore structure, and multiple functions similar to the metal–organic framework (MOF). Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was cultured with Purp@COP for 24 h and treated with near-infrared 808-nm laser 1 W/cm<sup>2</sup> for 10 min. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colony formation assay, live–dead cell fluorescence staining, and Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining flow cytometry were performed to detect the viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of the HepG2 cells.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The supramolecular material Purp@COP exhibited significant photothermal performance under near-infrared 808-nm laser irradiation <italic>in vitro</italic>. With the treatment of Purp@COP and near-infrared 808-nm laser irradiation on HepG2 cells, cell viability and colony formation capacity were decreased, and the number and proportion of apoptotic cells were increased.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>The supramolecular material Purp@COP has both photothermal and photodynamic effects and can significantly induce cancer cell death and inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells <italic>in vitro</italic>.</p></sec>