title: Facile synthesis of biocompatible cysteine-coated CuS nanoparticles with high photothermal conversion efficiency for cancer therapy.
abstract: The semiconductor compounds have been proven to be promising candidates as a new type of photothermal therapy agent, but unsatisfactory photothermal conversion efficiencies limit their widespread application in photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein, we synthesized cysteine-coated CuS nanoparticles (Cys-CuS NPs) as highly efficient PTT agents by a simple aqueous solution method. The Cys-CuS NPs have a good biocompatibility owing to their biocompatible cysteine coating and exhibit a strong absorption in the near-infrared region due to the localized surface plasma resonances of valence-band free carriers. The photothermal conversion efficiency of Cys-CuS NPs reaches 38.0%, which is much higher than that of the recently reported Cu9S5 and Cu(2-x)Se nanocrystals. More importantly, tumor growth can be efficiently inhibited in vivo by the fatal heat arising from the excellent photothermal effect of Cys-CuS NPs at a low concentration under the irradiation of a 980 nm laser with a safe power density of 0.72 W cm(-2). Therefore, the Cys-CuS NPs have great potential as ideal photothermal agents for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China. rjzou@dhu.edu.cn hu.junqing@dhu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xijian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fanfan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Kaibing
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Rujia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bingjie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Junqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000628:therapy; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003545:Cysteine; D019327:Copper Sulfate