title: Light-triggered liposomal cargo delivery platform incorporating photosensitizers and gold nanoparticles for enhanced singlet oxygen generation and increased cytotoxicity.
abstract: We developed light-triggered liposomes incorporating 3-5 nm hydrophobic gold nanoparticles and Rose Bengal (RB), a well-known photosensitizer used for photodynamic therapy. Singlet oxygen generated by these liposomes with 532 nm light illumination was characterized for varying the molar ratio of lipids and gold nanoparticles while keeping the amount of RB constant. Gold nanoparticles were found to enhance the singlet oxygen generation rate, with a maximum enhancement factor of 1.75 obtained for the molar ratio of hydrogenated soy l-α-phosphatidylcholine:1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(hexanoylamine):gold of 57:5:17 compared with liposomes loaded with RB alone. The experimental results could be explained by the local electric field enhancement caused by gold nanoparticles. We further assessed cellular cytotoxicity of gold-loaded liposomes by encapsulating an antitumor drug, doxorubicin (Dox); such Dox-loaded liposomes were applied to human colorectal cancer cells (HCT116) and exposed to light. Gold-loaded liposomes containing RB and Dox where Dox release was triggered by light were found to exhibit higher cytotoxicity compared with the liposomes loaded with RB and Dox alone. Our results indicate that gold-loaded liposomes incorporating photosensitizers may serve as improved agents in photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kautzka
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ewa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Goldys
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D045325:HCT116 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D026082:Singlet Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C568742:1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-hexanoylamine; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D012395:Rose Bengal; D006046:Gold; D004317:Doxorubicin
keywords: Rose Bengal; gold nanoparticles; liposomes; photodynamic therapy; singlet oxygen generation