EtNBSe-PDT inhibited proliferation and induced autophagy of HNE-1 cells via downregulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

•The study aimed to determine the influence of EtNBSe mediated PDT on autophagy, proliferation and Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human NPC cell line (HNE-1 cells), and further explore the underlying crosstalk between them.•The EtNBSe explored here is a novel synthetic bipolar photosensitizer with stable chemical structure, high permeability, rapid absorption, and oncotarget accumulation.•The study demonstrated that EtNBSe-PDT suppressed viability and proliferation, and induced autophagy of HNE-1 cells via downregulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.•The autophagy induced by EtNBSe-PDT further constituted the cytoprotective mechanisms involved in HNE-1 cells.