title: Amplifying the red-emission of upconverting nanoparticles for biocompatible clinically used prodrug-induced photodynamic therapy.
abstract: A class of biocompatible upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) with largely amplified red-emissions was developed. The optimal UCNP shows a high absolute upconversion quantum yield of 3.2% in red-emission, which is 15-fold stronger than the known optimal β-phase core/shell UCNPs. When conjugated to aminolevulinic acid, a clinically used photodynamic therapy (PDT) prodrug, significant PDT effect in tumor was demonstrated in a deep-tissue (>1.2 cm) setting in vivo at a biocompatible laser power density. Furthermore, we show that our UCNP-PDT system with NIR irradiation outperforms clinically used red light irradiation in a deep tumor setting in vivo. This study marks a major step forward in photodynamic therapy utilizing UCNPs to effectively access deep-set tumors. It also provides an opportunity for the wide application of upconverting red radiation in photonics and biophotonics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School , Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, United States.
authors.forename: Amol
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Punjabi
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tokatli-Apollon
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Rifai
authors.forename: Hyungseok
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yuanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhuang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Emory M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Chunying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011355:Prodrugs
keywords: nanoparticles; photodynamic therapy; prodrug; red-emission; upconverting