title: Y2O3:Yb,Er@mSiO2-Cu(x)S double-shelled hollow spheres for enhanced chemo-/photothermal anti-cancer therapy and dual-modal imaging.
abstract: Multifunctional composites have gained significant interest due to their unique properties which show potential in biological imaging and therapeutics. However, the design of an efficient combination of multiple diagnostic and therapeutic modes is still a challenge. In this contribution, Y2O3:Yb,Er@mSiO2 double-shelled hollow spheres (DSHSs) with up-conversion fluorescence have been successfully prepared through a facile integrated sacrifice template method, followed by a calcination process. It is found that the double-shelled structure with large specific surface area and uniform shape is composed of an inner shell of luminescent Y2O3:Yb,Er and an outer mesoporous silica shell. Ultra small Cu(x)S nanoparticles (about 2.5 nm) served as photothermal agents, and a chemotherapeutic agent (doxorubicin, DOX) was then attached onto the surface of mesoporous silica, forming a DOX-DSHS-Cu(x)S composite. The composite exhibits high anti-cancer efficacy due to the synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) induced by the attached Cu(x)S nanoparticles and the enhanced chemotherapy promoted by the heat from the Cu(x)S-based PTT when irradiated by 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) light. Moreover, the composite shows excellent in vitro and in vivo X-ray computed tomography (CT) and up-conversion fluorescence (UCL) imaging properties owing to the doped rare earth ions, thus making it possible to achieve the target of imaging-guided synergistic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, P. R. China. yangpiaoping@hrbeu.edu.cn gaishili@hrbeu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guixin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xingmei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ruichan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Shili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gai
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulzar
authors.forename: Piaoping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D051379:Mice; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry*; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000191:economics*; D061848:Optical Imaging; D010789:Phototherapy; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015019:Yttrium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D053769:Nanocapsules; D013440:Sulfides; D015019:Yttrium; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D003300:Copper; D004317:Doxorubicin; C091417:yttria