Photothermal sensitisation: evidence for the lack of oxygen effect on the photosensitising activity

Irradiation of amelanotic melanoma B78H1 cells in the presence of liposome-delivered Ni(II)-octabutoxy-naphthalocyanine with a Q-switched Ti: sapphire laser operated in a pulsed mode (850 nm, 30 ns pulses, 10 Hz, 120 mJ pulse 1) promotes a photothermal sensitization process leading to extensive cell inactivation. The photoprocess occurs with identical efficiency in N-2-saturated and air-equilibrated media, indicating that this photosensitization modality does not require the presence of oxygen.