title: Plasmonic copper sulfide nanocrystals exhibiting near-infrared photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic effects.
abstract: Recently, plasmonic copper sulfide (Cu2-xS) nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted much attention as materials for photothermal therapy (PTT). Previous reports have correlated photoinduced cell death to the photothermal heat mechanism of these NCs, and no evidence of their photodynamic properties has been reported yet. Herein we have prepared physiologically stable near-infrared (NIR) plasmonic copper sulfide NCs and analyzed their photothermal and photodynamic properties, including therapeutic potential in cultured melanoma cells and a murine melanoma model. Interestingly, we observe that, besides a high PTT efficacy, these copper sulfide NCs additionally possess intrinsic NIR induced photodynamic activity, whereupon they generate high levels of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo acute toxic responses of copper sulfide NCs were also elicited. This study highlights a mechanism of NIR light induced cancer therapy, which could pave the way toward more effective nanotherapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Application of Nanomaterials, Research Center for Micro & Nano Materials and Technology, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100190, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shunhao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riedinger
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Changhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Huiyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tianlong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Longfei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Markus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barthel
authors.forename: Giammarino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pugliese
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Donato
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scotto D'Abbusco
authors.forename: Xianwei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Liberato
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manna
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007259:Infrared Rays; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013440:Sulfides; C099343:cuprous sulfide; D003300:Copper
keywords: copper sulfide nanocrystals; near-infrared light; photodynamic therapy; photothermal therapy