Screening of Photosensitizers by Chemiluminescence Monitoring of Formation Dynamics of Singlet Oxygen during Photodynamic Therapy

Finding an efficient photosensitizer is crucial in ensuring a therapeutic effect of photodynamic treatment. Currently, screening of photosensitizers during photodynamic therapy is achieved by evaluating the total yield of singlet oxygen (¹O₂), rather than monitoring the formation dynamics of ¹O₂. ¹O₂-based chemiluminescence (CL) is a suitable method to directly monitor the generated amount of ¹O₂. Herein, the tetraphenylethene-sodium dodecyl sulfonate surfactant with aggregation-induced emission characteristics can remarkably amplify the intrinsic CL emission from ¹O₂ by integrating its micellar microenvironment with a CL energy acceptor effect in a cage-like structure. We present a new luminescence platform for the rapid screening of photosensitizers by monitoring the formation dynamics of ¹O₂ during photodynamic therapy. This study will not only be critical in optimizing the irradiation time during photodynamic therapy but also open a new door to the discovery of efficient photosensitizers.