Multitherapeutic nanoplatform based on scintillating anthracene, silver@anthracene, and gold@anthracene nanoparticles for combined radiation and photodynamic cancer therapies.
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021;
126:112122. [PMID:
34082939 DOI:
10.1016/j.msec.2021.112122]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We have synthesized anthracene and metal@anthracene core-shell nanoparticles to combine radiation (RT) and photodynamic (PDT) therapies. Synthesis of anthracene nanoparticles in the presence of colloidal silver or gold reduced the nanoparticles hydrodynamic radius, caused core-shell nanostructures to grow, and led to plasmon-enhanced fluorescence. Singlet oxygen (1O2) generation was investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) and fluorescence spectroscopies. In the presence of a porphyrin, anthracene nanoparticles and the core-shell nanoparticles acted as energy mediators and increased 1O2 generation under exposure to light, as evidenced by the ESR results. Fluorescence suppression experiments showed that the core-shell nanoparticles captured 1O2 at rates higher than anthracene nanoparticles, suggesting that overall production of 1O2 (1O2 captured by spin-trap + 1O2 captured by surface anthracene molecules) was higher for the core-shell nanoparticles. Moreover, the Ag@anthracene nanoparticles stood out as a new and more sensitive fluorescent probe for 1O2. During irradiation with X-rays, both anthracene and Ag@anthracene nanoparticles trapped 1O2; subsequently, they afforded sustained release of the trapped 1O2 for up 12 days after irradiation. This could be an interesting strategy to extend the radiation therapy treatment after the irradiation sessions. Furthermore, the presence of the metallic nanoparticle in the core of the core-shell nanostructure increased interaction with X-rays, raising the radiation dose around the nanoparticle. Therefore, metal@anthracene nanostructures may allow combination of cancer treatments by different approaches depending on the adopted nanoparticle configuration.
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