Periodic mesoporous organosilica nanorods and nanospheres are synthesized from 1,4-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene and bis(3-ethoxysilylpropyl)disulfide. The nanosystems present the long-range order of the hexagonal nanostructure. They are degraded in simulated physiological conditions. The loading and release of doxorubicin with these nanosystems are both pH dependent. These nanoparticles are endocytosed by breast cancer cells and are very efficient for doxorubicin delivery in these cells.

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the systems described so far require UV-Vis light which limits their applications. Two-Photon Excitation (TPE) in the near-infrared region is a promising alternative to UV-vis light due to the many advantages TPE provides such as three dimensional spatial resolution, lower scattering losses, and deeper penetration in tissues.[ 16 ] Very few TPE-triggered MSN-based drug delivery systems have been described in the literature, [ 17,18 ] and only two very recent examples were reported with cytotoxic drug delivery in cancer cells. The fi rst example is based on coumarin cleavage and needed very high material concentration (1 mg mL −1 ) in cells and long time of irradiation (1 h) to observe a cancer cell killing effect.[ 19 ] The second was described by us and concerned nanoimpellers reconfi gured for TPE.[ 20 ] The system was effi cient in inducing cancer cell death under TPE. In this communication, we report an alternative MSN-azobenzene-based system with a high specifi c surface area and pore volume for TPE-triggered drug delivery in cancer cells. Furthermore, two-photon fl uorescence imaging in vitro was also performed (see Scheme 1 ). First of all, a novel two-photon paracyclophane-based fl uorophore (CF) possessing a high two-photon absorption cross-section was designed and fully characterized. (see the Supporting Information). The maximum emission of the fl uorophore was 415 nm in THF, with a quantum yield of 68% suitable for FRET with azobenzene ( Figure 1 ).The silylated fl uorophore (CF) was co-condensed with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in basic media to lead to the two-photon fl uorescent MSN (MCF NPs). Mono-triethoxysilylated azobenzene was then grafted on the surface of the nanoparticles (MCF-AZO NPs). Then, the cargo was loaded in the pores of the MCF-AZO NPs. The supramolecular complexation of β-cyclodextrin was performed in ice-cooled conditions, in order to cap the porous surface to lead to the nanovalve (MCF-AZO@βCD NPs). As a control MCM-41 type MSN NPs were functionalized with azobenzene (MSN-AZO NPs) and β-cyclodextrin MSN-AZO@βCD NPs using the same procedure.The characterizations of the MCF NPs after surfactant removal confi rmed the monodispersity and mesoporosity of Drug Delivery

Porous silicon nanoparticles (pSiNPs) act as a sensitizer for the 2-photon excitation of a pendant porphyrin using NIR laser light, for imaging and photodynamic therapy. Mannose-functionalized pSiNPs can be vectorized to MCF-7 human breast cancer cells through a mannose receptor-mediated endocytosis mechanism to provide a 3-fold enhancement of the 2-photon PDT effect.

Bei Zweiphotonenanregung im Nahinfrarot schrumpfen hoch funktionalisierte mesoporöse Siliciumdioxid‐Nanopartikel Tumoren beträchtlich, bei Tageslichtbestrahlung sind sie hingegen ungiftig. Die Nanopartikel führten bei In‐vivo‐Versuchen zur photodynamischen Therapie (PDT) mit Zweiphotonenanregung an athymischen Mäusen mit Fremdtumoren zu einem Rückgang der Tumorgröße um 70 % nach einer einzigen Behandlung.

A therapy of cancer cells: Two-photon-triggered camptothecin delivery (see picture) with nanoimpellers was studied in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. A fluorophore with a high two-photon absorption cross-section was first incorporated in the nanoimpellers. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the fluorophore to the azobenzene moiety was demonstrated.

In this work, we describe the synthesis of new Mixed Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles (MPMO NPs), combining the co-condensation of a tetra-trialkoxysilylated twophoton photosensitizer with bis-(triethoxysilyl)phenylene or ethylene. Novel gold core-MPMO shell systems are also described. The MPMO NPs are analyzed and characterized by multiple techniques, and are very efficient for anti-cancer drug delivery combined with two-photon therapy in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, leading down to 76% cancer cell death. MPMO NPs are thus very promising for nanomedicine applications.

In addition to the already described ligand L 4a , two pyclen-based lanthanide chelators, L 4b and L 4c , bearing two specific picolinate two-photon antennas (tailor-made for each targeted metal) and one acetate arm arranged in a dissymmetrical manner, have been synthesized, to form a complete family of lanthanide luminescent bioprobes: [EuL 4a ], [SmL 4a ], [YbL 4b ], [TbL 4c ], and [DyL 4c ]. Additionally, the symmetrically arranged regioisomer L 4a′ was also synthesized as well as its [EuL 4a′ ] complex to highlight the astonishing positive impact of the dissymmetrical N-distribution of the functional chelating arms. The investigation clearly shows the high performance of each bioprobe, which, depending on the complexed lanthanide, could be used in various applications. Each presents high brightness, quantum yields, and lifetimes. Staining of the complexes into living human breast cancer cells was observed. In addition, in vivo two-photon microscopy was performed for the first time on a living zebrafish model with [EuL 4a ]. No apparent toxicity was detected on the growth of the zebrafish, and images of high quality were obtained.