Synergistically Enhancing the Therapeutic Effect of Radiation Therapy with Radiation Activatable and Reactive Oxygen Species-Releasing Nanostructures

Abstract

Nanoparticle-based radio-sensitizers can amplify the effects of radiation therapy on tumor tissue even at relatively low concentrations while reducing the potential side effects to healthy surrounding tissues. In this study, we investigated a hybrid anisotropic nanostructure, composed of gold (Au) and titanium dioxide (TiO), as a radio-sensitizer for radiation therapy of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In contrast to other gold-based radio sensitizers, dumbbell-like Au-TiO nanoparticles (DATs) show a synergistic therapeutic effect on radiation therapy, mainly because of strong asymmetric electric coupling between the high atomic number metals and dielectric oxides at their interfaces. The generation of secondary electrons and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from DATs triggered by X-ray irradiation can significantly enhance the radiation effect. After endocytosed by cancer cells, DATs can generate a large amount of ROS under X-ray irradiation, eventually inducing cancer cell apoptosis. Significant tumor growth suppression and overall improvement in survival rate in a TNBC tumor model have been successfully demonstrated under DAT uptake for a radio-sensitized radiation therapy.

Breaking the Depth Dependence by Nanotechnology‐Enhanced X‐Ray‐Excited Deep Cancer Theranostics

“…To solve this problem, X‐ray is introduced as a promising excitation source to break the restrictions of the shallow tissue penetration . The X‐ray induced PDT (X‐PDT) is not only a simple PDT derivative, but a synchronous combination of PDT and RT . However, no PSs can be directly activated by X‐ray because their excitation wavelength doesn't match with X‐ray energy .…”

“…The nanosystem had an efficient energy transfer and long‐lasting afterglow, which allowed for persistent PDT activation even after X‐ray was turned off, exhibiting a high light‐to‐dark ratio cytotoxicity in a preliminary experiment on PC‐3 (human prostate cancer cell line) cell study. In another example, Cheng and co‐workers reported dumbbell‐like Au‐TiO 2 nanoparticles (DATs) for synergistic RT and PDT . Upon X‐ray irradiation, the high‐Z Au nanoparticles could induce secondary photons or electrons generation, which on the one hand sensitized RT, and on the other hand, migrated to TiO 2 nanoparticles to facilitate ROS production for PDT.…”

Excretable Lanthanide Nanoparticle for Biomedical Imaging and Surgical Navigation in the Second Near‐Infrared Window

“…[5,6] As a promising candidate of imaging modality with respect to noninvasive and nonradiation, optical imaging has been an area of intense focus in real-time visualization and monitoring the dynamic pathological processes of diseases. [20][21][22][23][24] However, tedious synthetic procedure and low quantum yield of organic molecules are still the main chemical impediments that make them lie behind the inorganic counterparts. Thus, it has emerged as the next-generation imaging technique for in vivo biomedical imaging.…”

Facile green synthesis of bismuth sulfide radiosensitizer via biomineralization of albumin natural molecule for chemoradiation therapy aim

“…HNPs as novel important properties are attractively considered for biomedical applications. These types of biomaterials have shown abundant application in various biomedical fields, especially, as radiosensitizer [5,6]. Moreover, recent years bismuth compound nanomaterials have attracted huge attention in this field as well.…”