Different size of monodisperse silica spheres were prepared, which can show different emission properties by the alteration of initial organosiloxane materials, the size and composition of the ...samples.
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► Monodispersed and luminescent silica spheres were prepared by Stober process. ► The size of the silica spheres can be tuned in the range of 50–550
nm by changing the experimental conditions. ► The emission color can be tuned by the alteration of the initial organosiloxane materials and compositions. ► The emission of silica spheres mainly arise from carbon impurities and oxygen defects.
The nanometer-scale luminescent monodisperse silica spheres have been prepared by a water/oil (W/O) microemulsion method and the size of these spheres changed with the different concentrations of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The luminescent monodisperse silica spheres at the submicrometer scale have been prepared via Stöber method and the particles size increased with the increase of the amino concentrations. After calcination, all silica spheres do not change obviously in size. The annealed silica spheres contain C impurities and O defects, which resulted in the luminescence of silica spheres. The spheres showed variations in emission due to the different size and the concentration of organosiloxane precursors. Therefore, the emission can be tuned finely via the change of organosiloxane precursor and the size of samples.
The in situ polymerization method was applied to synthesize bulk nanocomposites consisting of hydrophobic NaYF(4):Yb, Er (Tm) nanoparticles as the filler and polystyrene (PS) as the host material. ...The oleic acid stabilized NaYF(4):Yb, Er (Tm) nanoparticles and NaYF(4):Yb, Er (Tm)/PS nanocomposites have been well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), upconversion photoluminescence spectra and luminescence decays. The well-crystallized NaYF(4):Yb, Er (Tm) nanoparticles are spherical with a mean diameter of 40 nm. NaYF(4):Yb, Er/PS and NaYF(4):Yb, Tm/PS nanocomposites exhibit strong green and blue upconversion photoluminescence upon 980 nm laser excitation, due to the integration of luminescent NaYF(4):Yb, Er and NaYF(4):Yb, Tm nanoparticles, respectively. These nanocomposites can be potentially used as 3D display materials.
Although synergistic therapy for tumors has displayed significant promise for effective treatment of cancer, developing a simple and effective strategy to build a multi-functional nanoplatform is ...still a huge challenge. By virtue of the characteristics of tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia, slight acidity and H2O2 overexpression, Au2Pt-PEG-Ce6 nanoformulation is constructed for collaborative chemodynamic/phototherapy of tumors. Specifically, the Au2Pt nanozymes with multiple functions are synthesized in one step at room temperature. The photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) is covalently linked to Au2Pt nanozymes for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Interestingly, the Au2Pt nanozymes possess catalase- and peroxidase-like activities simultaneously, which not only can generate O2 for relaxation of tumor hypoxia and enhancement of PDT efficiency but also can produce ∙OH for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). In addition, the high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 31.5%) of Au2Pt-PEG-Ce6 nanoformulation provides the possibility for photoacoustic (PA) and photothermal (PT) imaging guided photothermal therapy (PTT). Moreover, the presence of high-Z elements (Au and Pt) in Au2Pt-PEG-Ce6 nanoformulation endows it with the ability to act as an X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging contrast agent. All in all, the Au2Pt-PEG-Ce6 exhibits great potential in multimodal imaging-guided synergistic PTT/PDT/CDT with remarkably tumor specificity and enhanced therapy.
Rational design of tumor microenvironment (TME)‐activated nanocomposites provides an innovative strategy to construct responsive oncotherapy. In colorectal cancer (CRC), the specific physiological ...features are the overexpressed endogenous H2S and slightly acidic microenvironment. Here, a core–shell Cu2O@CaCO3 nanostructure for CRC “turn‐on” therapy is reported. With CaCO3 responsive to pH decomposition and Cu2O responsive to H2S sulfuration, Cu2O@CaCO3 can be triggered “on” into the therapeutic mode by the colorectal TME. When the CaCO3 shell decomposes and releases calcium in acidic colorectal TME, the loss of protection from the CaCO3 shell exposes the Cu2O core to be sulfuretted by H2S to form metabolizable Cu31S16 nanocrystals that gain remarkably strong near‐infrared absorption. After modifying hyaluronic acid, Cu2O@CaCO3 can achieve synergistic CRC‐targeted and TME‐triggered photothermal/photodynamic/chemodynamic/calcium‐overload‐mediated therapy. Moreover, it is found that the generation of hyperthermia and oxidative stress from Cu2O@CaCO3 nanocomposites can efficiently reprogram the macrophages from the M2 phenotype to the M1 phenotype and initiate a vaccine‐like immune effect after primary tumor removal, which further induces an immune‐favorable TME and intense immune responses for anti‐CD47 antibody to simultaneously inhibit CRC distant metastasis and recurrence by immunotherapy.
Bio‐decomposable Cu2O@CaCO3 nanocomposites with a pH‐responsive CaCO3 shell and a H2S‐responsive Cu2O core can be triggered “on” into the therapeutic mode by the colorectal tumor environment (TME). The loss of protection from CaCO3 in the acidic TME exposes Cu2O to be sulfuretted by endogenous H2S to form metabolizable Cu31S16 nanocrystals. The Cu2O@CaCO3 can realize TME‐triggered photothermal/photodynamic/chemodynamic/calcium‐overload‐mediated/immune synergistic colorectal oncotherapy.
Abstract The current near-infrared (NIR) light-induced photodynamic therapy (PDT) can enhance the tissue penetration depth to trigger photosensitizers (PSs) far from the surface. NIR-mediated PDT is ...still challenged by overheating effect on normal tissues, limited tumor selectivity and low reactive oxygen species (ROS) yields. Here we construct a dual-agent photosensitizing nanoplatform by combining UV-blue upconversion emitting NaYF4 :Yb/Tm@NaYF4 :Yb@NaNdF4 :Yb@NaYF4 (labeled as UCNPs) multi-shell nanocrystals with titanium dioxide (TiO2 , UV-light-excited PS) and hypocrellin A (HA, blue-light-excited PS), which can induce cancer cell apoptosis by 808 nm light-triggered and hyaluronic acid (Hyal)-targeted PDT. In this construction strategy, the crystallized TiO2 shells on the surface of UCNPs can play dual roles as UV-light excited PS and conjugation site for Hyal, and then Hyal is served as targeting-ligand as well as the carrier of HA simultaneously. The step-by-step reactive mode of loading PSs and modifying targeting-ligands is a controllable and ordered design based on the use of one intermediate product as the reaction site for the next component. The Nd3+ -sensitized UCNPs with quenching reduction layer can efficiently convert 808 nm NIR light to UV-blue emission for simultaneous activation of two PSs with enhanced intracellular ROS generation. Through the in vitro and in vivo experiment results, the dual-photosensitizers nanoplatform presents enhanced anti-tumor efficacy by effective targeting cellular uptake and taking full advantage of upconversion emission, which may make a major step toward next generation of NIR-mediated PDT.
A novel nanoplatform based on tungsten oxide (W18O49, WO) and indocyanine green (ICG) for dual‐modal photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been successfully constructed. In ...this design, the hierarchical unique nanorod‐bundled W18O49 nanostructures play roles in being not only as an efficient photothermal agent for PTT but also as a potential nanovehicle for ICG molecules via electrostatic adsorption after modified with trimethylammonium groups on their surface. It is found that the ability of ICG to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species for PDT is well maintained after being attached on the WO, thus the as‐obtained WO@ICG can achieve a synergistic effect of combined PTT and PDT under single 808 nm near‐infrared (NIR) laser excitation. Notably, compared with PTT or PDT alone, the enhanced HeLa cells lethality of the 808 nm laser triggered dual‐modal therapy is observed. The in vivo animal experiments have shown that WO@ICG has effective solid tumor ablation effect with 808 nm NIR light irradiation, revealing the potential of these nanocomposites as a NIR‐mediated dual‐modal therapeutic platform for cancer treatment.
An 808‐nm‐light‐mediated, antitumor, synergistic photothermal and photodynamic therapy nanosystem based on tungsten oxide@indocyanine green (WO@ICG) nanocomposites has been successfully constructed. These WO@ICG nanocomposites exhibit fascinating in vitro and in vivo dual‐modal phototherapeutic properties under single 808 nm light irradiation, including therapeutic potential in cultured HeLa cells and HeLa tumor‐bearing mice.
Upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) drastically compromises the treatment effect of mild photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein, we designed a polyporous Cu single atom nanozyme (Cu SAzyme) loaded ...with licogliflozin (LIK066) for HSP‐silencing induced mild PTT. On one hand, LIK066 inhibits glucose uptake by shutting sodium‐dependent glucose transporter (SGLT) “valve”, effectively blocking the energy source for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. Without sufficient energy, cancer cells cannot synthesize HSPs. On the other hand, Cu SAzyme presents extraordinary multienzyme activities to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) storm formation, which can damage the existing HSPs in cancer cells. Through a two‐pronged strategy of SGLT inhibitor and ROS storm, LIK066‐loaded Cu SAzyme shows high efficiency for comprehensive removal of HSPs to realize mild PTT.
A Cu single atom nanozyme achieves mild photothermal cancer therapy by a two‐pronged strategy, where the delivered clinical medicine licogliflozin closes a sodium‐dependent glucose transporter valve for blocking the energy required for the synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs). Meanwhile, the nanozyme forms a reactive oxygen species storm to damage existing HSPs.
Abstract To integrate biological imaging and multimodal therapies into one platform for enhanced anti-cancer efficacy, we have designed a novel core/shell structured nano-theranostic by conjugating ...photosensitive Au 25SR 18 – (SR refers to thiolate) clusters, pH/temperature-responsive polymer P(NIPAm-MAA), and anti-cancer drug ( doxorubicin, DOX ) onto the surface of mesoporous silica coated core–shell up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). It is found that the photodynamic therapy (PDT) derived from the generated reactive oxygen species and the photothermal therapy (PTT) arising from the photothermal effect can be simultaneously triggered by a single 980 nm near infrared (NIR) light. Furthermore, the thermal effect can also stimulate the pH/temperature sensitive polymer in the cancer sites, thus realizing the targeted and controllable DOX release. The combined PDT, PTT and pH/temperature responsive chemo-therapy can markedly improve the therapeutic efficacy, which has been confirmed by both in intro and in vivo assays. Moreover, the doped rare earths endow the platform with dual-modal up-conversion luminescent (UCL) and computer tomography (CT) imaging properties, thus achieving the target of imaging-guided synergistic therapy under by a single NIR light.
Hypoxia and overexpression of glutathione (GSH) are typical characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, which severely hinders cancer treatments. Here, we design a novel biodegradable therapeutic ...system, O
-Cu/ZIF-8@Ce6/ZIF-8@F127 (OCZCF), to simultaneously achieve GSH depletion and O
-enhanced combination therapy. Notably, the doped Cu
doubles the O
storage capacity of the ZIF-8 matrix, which makes OCZCF an excellent pH-sensitive O
reservoir for conquering tumor hypoxia, enhancing the photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficiency of chlorin e6 (Ce6) under 650 nm laser irradiation. Moreover, the released Cu
can act as a smart reactive oxygen species protector by consuming intracellular GSH. The byproduct Cu
will undergo highly efficient Fenton-like reaction to achieve chemodynamic therapy (CDT) in the presence of abundant H
O
. The accompanying O
will further alleviate hypoxia. The in vitro and in vivo experimental data indicate that OCZCF could cause remarkable tumor inhibition through enhanced synergetic PDT and CDT, which may open up a new path for cancer therapy.