Plasmon-Triggered Upconversion Emissions and Hot Carrier Injection for Combinatorial Photothermal and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy.

Abstract

Despite the unique ability of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to convert near-infrared (NIR) light to high-energy UV-vis radiation, low quantum efficiency has rendered their application unpractical in biomedical fields. Here, we report anatase titania-coated plasmonic gold nanorods decorated with UCNPs (Au NR@aTiO2@UCNPs) for combinational photothermal and photodynamic therapy to treat cancer. Our novel architecture employs the incorporation of an anatase titanium dioxide (aTiO2) photosensitizer as a spacer and exploits the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of the Au core. The LSPR-derived near-field enhancement induces a threefold boost of upconversion emissions, which are re-absorbed by neighboring aTiO2 and Au nanocomponents. Photocatalytic experiments strongly infer that LSPR-induced hot electrons are injected into the conduction band of aTiO2, generating reactive oxygen species. As phototherapeutic agents, our hybrid nanostructures show remarkable in vitro anticancer effect under NIR light [28.0% cancer cell viability against Au NR@aTiO2 (77.3%) and UCNP@aTiO2 (98.8%)] ascribed to the efficient radical formation and LSPR-induced heat generation, with cancer cell death primarily following an apoptotic pathway. In vivo animal studies further confirm the tumor suppression ability of Au NR@aTiO2@UCNPs through combinatorial photothermal and photodynamic effect. Our hybrid nanomaterials emerge as excellent multifunctional phototherapy agents, providing a valuable addition to light-triggered cancer treatments in deep tissue.

• Authors: Subin Yu, Dohyub Jang, Hong Yuan, Wen-Tse Huang, Minju Kim, Filipe Marques Mota, Ru-Shi Liu, Hyukjin Lee, Sehoon Kim, Dong Ha Kim
• Journal: ACS applied materials & interfaces (ACS Appl Mater Interfaces) Vol. 13 Issue 49 Pg. 58422-58433 (Dec 15 2021) ISSN: 1944-8252 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34855366 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Drug Carriers
• Lanthanoid Series Elements
• Photosensitizing Agents
• titanium dioxide
• Gold
• Titanium

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Drug Carriers (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Glioblastoma (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Gold (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Humans
• Lanthanoid Series Elements (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Materials Testing
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Nude
• Nanoparticles (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Neoplasms, Experimental (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Optical Imaging
• Particle Size
• Photochemotherapy
• Photosensitizing Agents (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Titanium (administration & dosage, chemistry)