Harnessing light and ultrasonic vibration: efficient amphiphilic phthalocyanine-based sensitizers for combined sono–photodynamic therapy of breast cancer

sono-photodynamic potential of the phthalocyanine derivatives 3a and 4a was assessed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In both lines, SPDT significantly reduced cell viability while elevating intracellular ROS levels and apoptotic cell populations. Remarkably, the combined SPDT treatment elicited stronger cytotoxic and oxidative stress responses than either SDT or PDT alone. Furthermore, SPDT activated inflammasome-related pathways, as indicated by increased caspase-1 activity and higher release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These findings highlight the enhanced efficacy of SPDT over single-modality therapies and underscore the promising potential of phthalocyanine-based 3a and 4a as sonophotodynamic sensitizers for breast cancer.