Verteporfin #64260

Verteporfin is a benzoporphyrin derivative that is photoactivated by nonthermal red light in the presence of oxygen. It is used clinically as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy to treat selected vascular-related diseases. When photoactivated in vasculature, verteporfin generates reactive oxygen species that induce localized damage to endothelial cells, resulting in targeted vessel blockage. Established clinical uses of verteporfin include the treatment of age-related macular degeneration, subfoveal choroidal neovascularization, and pathological myopia (1,2); its anti-angiogenic effects have also led to its consideration as an anti-tumor agent (3). However, the cellular effects of verteporfin exposure extend beyond its photosensitizing activity. It has also been shown to block the interaction between the transcriptional co-activator YAP and TEAD family transcription factors, notably in the absence of photoactivation. This was shown to result in transcriptional repression of YAP target genes that regulate cell proliferation and cell death (4,5), suggesting an additional mechanism by which verteporfin could be utilized as an anti-tumor agent.