title: One-pot template-free synthesis of NaYF4 upconversion hollow nanospheres for bioimaging and drug delivery.
abstract: Hollow-structured nanomaterials with fluorescent properties are extremely attractive for image-guided cancer therapy. In this paper, sub-100 nm and hydrophilic NaYF4 upconversion (UC) hollow nanospheres (HNSs) with multicolor UC luminescence and drug-delivery properties were successfully prepared by a facile one-pot template-free hydrothermal route using polyetherimide (PEI) polymer as the stabilizing agent. XRD, SEM, TEM, and N2-adsorption/desorption were used to characterize the as-obtained products. The growth mechanism of the HNSs has been systematically investigated on the basis of the Ostwald ripening. Under 980 nm excitation, UC emissions of HNSs can be tuned by a simple change of the concentration or combination of various upconverters. As a result, the PEI-coated HNSs could be used as efficient probes for in vitro upconversion luminescence (UCL) cell imaging. Furthermore, a doxorubicin storage/release behavior and cancer-cell-killing ability investigation reveal that the product has the potential to be a drug carrier for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (P.R. China); College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Gan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Longsheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Liangjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jinxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhanjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Yuliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D065546:Drug Liberation; D005459:Fluorides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007624:KB Cells; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003287:Contrast Media; D004337:Drug Carriers; C525362:sodium yttriumtetrafluoride; D015019:Yttrium; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: Ostwald ripening; drug delivery; hollow nanospheres; luminescence; one-pot synthesis