Fig. 5

Cellular mechanism of the synergistic phototherapy of TPP-PPG@ICG. MG63/Dox cells were treated with the PBS, TPP-PPG, ICG, PPG@ICG, or TPP-PPG@ICG (ICG equivalent, 15 μM) with laser irradiation, or with TPP-PPG@ICG without laser irradiation. The rate of apoptosis (a, b) and c ROS production was measured using flow cytometry and FL microscopy after incubation with annexin V-FITC/PI or DCFH-DA, respectively. P values in b were calculated using student’s t-test (*p < 0.01)