title: Protein modified upconversion nanoparticles for imaging-guided combined photothermal and photodynamic therapy.
abstract: In this work, we develop a multifunctional nano-platform by coating upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA), obtaining UCNP@BSA nanoparticles with great solubility and stability in physiological environments. Two types of dye molecules, including a photosensitizer, Rose Bengal (RB), and an NIR-absorbing dye, IR825, can be simultaneously loaded into the BSA layer of the UCNP@BSA nanoparticles. In this carefully designed UCNP@BSA-RB&; IR825 system, RB absorbs green light emitted from UCNPs under 980-nm excitation to induce photodynamic cancer cell killing, while IR825 whose absorbance shows no overlap with upconversion excitation and emission wavelengths, offers nanoparticles a strong photothermal perform under 808-nm laser irradiation. Without showing noticeable dark toxicity, the obtained dual-dye loaded nanoparticles are able to kill cancer via combined photothermal and photodynamic therapies, both of which are induced by NIR light with high tissue penetration, by a synergetic manner both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the intrinsic paramagnetic and optical properties of Gd(3+)-doped UCNPs can further be utilized for in vivo dual modal imaging. Our study suggests that UCNPs with well-designed surface engineering could serve as a multifunctional nano-platform promising in cancer theranostics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Zhengping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM) & Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China. Electronic address: zliu@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhuang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine
keywords: Combination therapy; Photodynamic therapy; Photothermal therapy; Toxicity; Upconversion nanoparticles