Plasmonic gold nanorods can carry sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine to improve photodynamic detection and therapy of cancers.
Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide-coated gold nanorods (AuNRs) with positive charges were effectively bound to negatively charged sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcS), a photosensitizer for photodynamic detection and therapy, due to the electrostatic force, with a loading content of 10(4) AlPcS molecules per rod. A 5-fold increase in the AlPcS fluorescence of the AlPcS-AuNRs complex was seen. The excitation fluorescence spectrum of the AlPcS-AuNRs with a typical 520 nm band fits well with the resonance band of AuNR surface plasmons, suggesting that such increased AlPcS fluorescence is produced from the strong surface plasmons of AuNRs. The intracellular distribution of AlPcS-AuNRs was studied in the QGY liver cancer cells by respectively imaging the AlPcS fluorescence and AuNRs reflectance with a confocal microscope. Furthermore, the AlPcS-AuNRs-loaded cells were photodynamically damaged after being exposed to red light in a light-dose-dependent manner. In contrast, no phototoxicity of the cells was seen after incubation with the same amount of free AlPcS, indicating that the AlPcS-AuNRs can enhance the AlPcS-mediated photodynamic effect. In addition, the loaded AlPcS can be photothermally released from AuNRs in the cells by the irradiation with an 800 nm femtosecond laser, demonstrating the potential for controlled drug release.
State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Lei
L
Li
Ji-Yao
JY
Chen
Xi
X
Wu
Pei-Nan
PN
Wang
Qian
Q
Peng
D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013451:Sulfonic Acids / Q000737:chemistry
D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D007211:Indoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D013451:Sulfonic Acids; C060570:aluminum phthalocyanine; D006046:Gold; D000077286:Cetrimonium