Near-Infrared-Absorbing Gold Nanopopcorns with Iron Oxide Cluster Core for Magnetically Amplified Photothermal and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

Abstract

We present the synthesis and application of a new type of dual magnetic and plasmonic nanostructures for magnetic-field-guided drug delivery and combined photothermal and photodynamic cancer therapy. Near-infrared-absorbing gold nanopopcorns containing a self-assembled iron oxide cluster core were prepared via a seed-mediated growth method. The hybrid nanostructures are superparamagnetic and show great photothermal conversion efficiency (η=61%) under near-infrared irradiation. Compact and stable nanocomplexes for photothermal-photodynamic therapy were formed by coating the nanoparticles with near-infrared-absorbing photosensitizer silicon 2,3-naphthalocyannie dihydroxide and stabilization with poly(ethylene glycol) linked with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid. The nanocomplex showed enhanced release and cellular uptake of the photosensitizer with the use of a gradient magnetic field. In vitro studies using two different cell lines showed that the dual mode photothermal and photodynamic therapy with the assistance of magnetic-field-guided drug delivery dramatically improved the therapeutic efficacy of cancer cells as compared to the combination treatment without using a magnetic field and the two treatments alone. The "three-in-one" nanocomplex has the potential to carry therapeutic agents deep into a tumor through magnetic manipulation and to completely eradicate tumors by subsequent photothermal and photodynamic therapies without systemic toxicity.

Multifunctional Fe3O4 @ Au core/shell nanostars: a unique platform for multimode imaging and photothermal therapy of tumors

“…Details can be seen in Supplementary information. The η of the NSs was calculated to be 88.9%, which is prominently higher than that of other major PTT agents43444546.…”

“…The η of the NSs (88.9%, Supplementary Fig. S7) is much higher than that of other major PTT agents reported in the literature43444546, which is likely ascribed to the particle’s volume, structure, and shape56. The FA modification of the particles rendered the NSs with specific affinity to FAR-overexpressing cancer cells in vitro (Fig.…”

A colorimetric biosensor using Fe3O4 nanoparticles for highly sensitive and selective detection of tetracyclines

“…[14] Fe3O4 MNPs are usually thought to be chemically and biologically inert with additional advantages of superparamagnetic properties, chemical stability, low toxicity and ease of preparation and functionalization, [15,16] which can be used for protein or cell separation, [17,18] as a drug delivery vehicle [19,20] and an agent for the treatment of cancer. [21] Recently, work by Huang et al showed that TCs have a strong tendency to complex with metal ions such as Fe(II) and Fe(III) in aqueous solution, the complexation of Fe(II) with TCs could generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of dissolved oxygen. [22] Fe3O4 MNPs are known to possess the ability to catalyze the H2O2-mediated oxidation of colorless TMB into a blue product (oxTMB), which exhibits a maximum absorption at 652 nm (A652).…”

Fe2O3@Au core@shell nanoparticle–graphene nanocomposites as theranostic agents for bioimaging and chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy

“…In addition, iron oxide@gold core@shell and/or core@ satellites nanoparticles (Fe x O y @Au NPs (x = 2 or 3 and y = 3 or 4) are known to have a wide range of promising applications in bioanalytical and biomedical fields because the Fe x O y @Au NPs can offer facile functionalization, enhanced chemical stability, excellent biocompatibility and superparamagnetic capability. [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36] …”