In vivo near-infrared mediated tumor destruction by photothermal effect of carbon nanotubes.
The photothermal therapy using nanomaterials has been recently attracted as an efficient strategy for the next generation of cancer treatments. Single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) is an upcoming potent candidate for the photothermal therapeutic agent since it generates significant amounts of heat upon excitation with near-infrared light (NIR, lambda = 700-1100 nm) which is transparent to biological systems including skins. Such a photothermal effect can be employed to induce thermal cell death in a noninvasive manner. Here, we demonstrate in vivo obliteration of solid malignant tumors by the combined treatments of SWNTs and NIR irradiation. The photothermally treated mice displayed complete destruction of the tumors without harmful side effects or recurrence of tumors over 6 months, while the tumors treated in other control groups were continuously grown until the death of the mice. Most of the injected SWNTs were almost completely excreted from mice bodies in about 2 months through biliary or urinary pathway. These results suggest that SWNTs may potentially serve as an effective photothermal agent and pave the way to future cancer therapeutics.
Moon
Hye Kyung
HK
Department of Chemistry and Division of Advanced Materials Science, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, Korea.
Lee
Sang Ho
SH
Choi
Hee Cheul
HC
D055011:Ablation Techniques; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014867:Water; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols