Multifunctional Eu3+/Gd3+ dual-doped calcium phosphate vesicle-like nanospheres for sustained drug release and imaging.
A facile room-temperature solution method is reported for the preparation of multifunctional Eu(3+) and Gd(3+) dual-doped calcium phosphate (CaP) (Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP) vesicle-like nanospheres in the presence of an amphiphilic block copolymer polylactide-block-monomethoxy(polyethyleneglycol) (PLA-mPEG). The photoluminescent (PL) and magnetic multifunctions of CaP vesicle-like nanospheres are realized by dual-doping with Eu(3+)/Gd(3+) ions. Under the excitation at 393 nm, Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres exhibit a strong near-infrared (NIR) emission at 700 nm, and the PL intensity can be adjusted by varying Eu(3+) and Gd(3+) concentrations. Furthermore, Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres can be used as the drug nanocarrier and have a high drug loading capacity and ultralong sustained drug release using ibuprofen as a model drug. The drug release from the drug delivery system of Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres can sustain for a very long period of time (more than 80 days). The as-prepared Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres exhibit essentially inappreciable toxicity to the cells in vitro. The noninvasive visualization of nude mice with subcutaneous injection indicates that the Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres are suitable for in vivo bio-imaging. In vivo imaging tests using the subcutaneous injection model of nude mice indicate that Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres can be used as an imaging agent for the NIR luminescence imaging. Thus, the Eu(3+)/Gd(3+)-CaP vesicle-like nanospheres are promising for applications in the biomedical fields such as multifunctional drug delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds with bio-imaging guidance.
State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050, PR China.
Feng
F
Chen
Peng
P
Huang
Ying-Jie
YJ
Zhu
Jin
J
Wu
Da-Xiang
DX
Cui
D000818:Animals; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes; D005063:Europium; C020243:calcium phosphate; D005682:Gadolinium; D009584:Nitrogen