Organic light-emitting diodes as an innovative approach for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis
Abstract
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) has been studied as a non-invasive therapy for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis to overcome challenges with current treatment, such as toxicity, resistance and need for in-patient hospital treatment. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have emerged as an attractive technology that can provide wearable light-emitting materials that are conformable to human skin. This makes OLEDs ideal candidates for APDT by light-bandages for ambulatory care. In this work, we successfully develop suitable OLEDs to match the absorbance of three photosensitizers: methylene blue, new methylene blue, and 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue to inactivate two Leishmania species in vitro: Leishmania major and Leishmania amazonensis. Parasites are treated either by LED (20 mWcm-2) or OLED (6.5 mWcm-2) at increasing photosensitizer concentrations at a radiant exposure of 50 Jcm-2. 1,9-Dimethyl-methylene blue is the most potent photosensitizer, killing both strains at nanomolar concentrations. We also explore the effect of different intensities from the OLEDs (0.7, 1.5, and 6.5 mWcm-2) and show that effective killing of Leishmania occurs even at very low intensity. These findings demonstrate the great potential of OLEDs as a new approach for ambulatory treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis by APDT.
Citation
Cabral , F V , Lian , C , Persheyev , S , Smith , T K , Ribeiro , M S & Samuel , I D W 2021 , ' Organic light-emitting diodes as an innovative approach for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis ' , Advanced Materials Technologies , vol. Early View . https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202100395
Publication
Advanced Materials Technologies
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
2365-709XType
Journal article
Description
Funding: UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant Number(s): EP/L015110/1).Collections
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