Photodynamic therapy (
PDT) has been extensively explored as a promising alternative therapeutic approach for many malignant
tumors. However, the
PDT system generally involves unsatisfactory
tumor specificity and nonspecific accumulation of
photosensitizers around the target
cancer cells, leading to phototoxic damage to adjacent healthy normal cells. In this study, we developed
pheophorbide a (Pheo a)/
human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) targeting
peptide (epitope form, HLTV, PEG2-LTVSPWY)-co-conjugated methoxy poly(
ethylene glycol)-block-poly(
L-lysine hydrochloride) (PEG-PLL)/
hyaluronic acid (HA) (P3H2) polymeric
micelles via a self-assembly method for HER2-targeted
PDT treatment for
breast cancer, thereby enhancing the
PDT efficacy. The synthesized P3H2 polymeric
micelles were spherical, with an average diameter of 125.7 ± 21.2 nm in an aqueous
solution. The results ofin vitrocytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the P3H2 polymeric
micelles significantly improved
PDT efficacy on the SK-BR-3 cells due to the enhanced targeting ability. In addition,
PDT treatment using the P3H2 polymeric
micelles effectively killed
breast cancer cells by inducing higher intracellular
reactive oxygen species generation and apoptotic cell death. In particular, the three-dimensional cell culture model proved the synergistic
PDT efficacy using P3H2 polymeric
micelles on the SK-BR-3 cells. Based on these results, the
PDT treatment using P3H2 polymeric
micelles can serve as a highly effective therapeutic modality for
breast cancer.