A new near infrared photosensitizing nanoplatform containing blue-emitting up-conversion nanoparticles and hypocrellin A for photodynamic therapy of cancer cells

Amphiphilic trismethylpyridylporphyrin-fullerene (C70) dyad: an efficient photosensitizer under hypoxia conditions

Amphiphilic trismethylpyridylporphyrin-C₇₀(PC₇₀) dyad with improved photosensitization has been successfully prepared.

Current advances in lanthanide ion (Ln3+)-based upconversion nanomaterials for drug delivery

This review mainly focuses on the recent advances in various chemical syntheses of Ln³⁺-based upconversion nanomaterials, with special emphasis on their application in stimuli-response controlled drug release and subsequent therapy.

Upconversion nanoparticles as versatile light nanotransducers for photoactivation applications

Upconversion nanoparticles enable use of near infrared light for spatially and temporally controlled activation of therapeutic compounds in deeper tissues.

A UCN@mSiO2@cross-linked lipid with high steric stability as a NIR remote controlled-release nanocarrier for photodynamic therapy

In clinics, the application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in deep tissue is severely constrained by the limited penetration depth of visible light that was used for activating the photosensitizer (PS).

Smart pH-responsive upconversion nanoparticles for enhanced tumor cellular internalization and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy

The smart pH-responsive upconversion nanoparticles are promising agents for deep cancer photodynamic therapy applications.

NIR photoregulated chemo- and photodynamic cancer therapy based on conjugated polyelectrolyte-drug conjugate encapsulated upconversion nanoparticles

The design of nanoplatforms with target recognition and near-infrared (NIR) laser photoregulated chemo- and photodynamic therapy is highly desirable but remains challenging. In this work, we have developed such a system by taking advantage of a conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE)-drug conjugate and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). The poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafted CPE not only serves as a polymer matrix for UCNP encapsulation, but also as a fluorescent imaging agent, a photosensitizer as well as a carrier for chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) through a UV-cleavable ortho-nitrobenzyl (NB) linker. Upon 980 nm laser irradiation, the UCNPs emit UV and visible light. The up-converted UV light is utilized for controlled drug release through the photocleavage of the ortho-nitrobenzyl linker, while the up-converted visible light is used to initiate the polymer photosensitizer to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) for photodynamic therapy. The NIR photo-regulated UCNP@CPE-DOX showed high efficiency of ROS generation and controlled drug release in cancer cells upon single laser irradiation. In addition, the combination therapy showed enhanced inhibition of U87-MG cell growth as compared to sole treatments. As two light sources with different wavelengths are always needed for traditional photodynamic therapy and photoregulated drug release, the adoption of UCNPs as an NIR light switch is highly beneficial to combined chemo- and photodynamic therapy with enhanced therapeutic effects.

Er3+-doped YbPO4 up-conversion porous nanospheres for UCL/CT bimodal imaging in vivo and chemotherapy

PEI modified up-conversion porous nanospheres were obtained by template-free hydrothermal method, combining up-conversion luminescence/X-ray computed tomography bimodal-imaging with drug delivery.

Photodynamic therapy with decacationic [60]fullerene monoadducts: effect of a light absorbing electron-donor antenna and micellar formulation

We report the synthesis and anticancer photodynamic properties of two new decacationic fullerene (LC14) and red light-harvesting antenna-fullerene conjugated monoadduct (LC15) derivatives. The antenna of LC15 was attached covalently to C60>with distance of only <3.0 Ǻ to facilitate ultrafast intramolecular photoinduced-electron-transfer (for type-I photochemistry) and photon absorption at longer wavelengths. Because LC15 was hydrophobic we compared formulation in Cremophor EL micelles with direct dilution from dimethylacetamide. LC14 produced more (1)O2 than LC15, while LC15 produced much more HO·than LC14 as measured by specific fluorescent probes. When delivered by DMA, LC14 killed more HeLa cells than LC15 when excited by UVA light, while LC15 killed more cells when excited by white light consistent with the antenna effect. However LC15 was more effective than LC14 when delivered by micelles regardless of the excitation light. Micellar delivery produced earlier apoptosis and damage to the endoplasmic reticulum as well as to lysosomes and mitochondria.

FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR

This team of authors report the synthesis and the photodynamic properties of two new derivatives for cancer treatment; one is a decacationic fullerene (LC14) and the other is a red light-harvesting antenna-fullerene conjugated monoadduct (LC15) utilizing a HeLa cell model.