Cell cycle arrest induced by MPPa-PDT in MDA-MB-231 cells

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical treatment using a photosensitizing agent and light source to treat cancers. Pyropheophorbidea methyl ester (MPPa), a derivative of chlorophyll, is a novel potent photosensitizer. To learn more about this photosensitizer, we examined the cell cycle arrest in MDA-MB-231. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometer. Checkpoints of the cell cycle were measured by western blot. In this study, we found that the expression of Cyclin D1 was obviously decreased, while the expression of Chk2 and P21 was increased after PDT treatment. This study showed that MPPa-PDT affected the checkpoints of the cell cycle and led the cells to apoptosis.