Imaging modalities combined with a multimodal nanocomposite contrast agent hold great potential for significant contributions in the biomedical field. Among modern imaging techniques, photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence (FL) imaging gained much attention due to their non-invasive feature and the mutually supportive characteristic in terms of spatial resolution, penetration depth, imaging sensitivity, and speed. In this present study, we synthesized IR783 conjugated chitosan–polypyrrole nanocomposites (IR-CS–PPy NCs) as a theragnostic agent used for FL/PA dual-modal imaging. A customized FL and photoacoustic imaging system was constructed to perform required imaging experiments and create high-contrast images. The proposed nanocomposites were confirmed to have great biosafety, essentially a near-infrared (NIR) absorbance property with enhanced photostability. The in vitro photothermal results indicate the high-efficiency MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell ablation ability of IR-CS–PPy NCs under 808 nm NIR laser irradiation. The in vivo PTT study revealed the complete destruction of the tumor tissues with IR-CS–PPy NCs without further recurrence. The in vitro and in vivo results suggest that the demonstrated nanocomposites, together with the proposed imaging systems could be an effective theragnostic agent for imaging-guided cancer treatment.
Recently, various nanomaterials based
on hydroxyapatite (HAp) have
been developed for bioimaging applications. In particular, HAp doped
with rare-earth elements has attracted significant attention, owing
to its enhanced bioactivity and imaging properties. In this study,
the wet precipitation method was used to synthesize HAp codoped with
Yb and Gd. The synthesized Yb
x
-Gd
x
-HAp nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized
via various techniques to analyze the crystal phase, functional groups,
thermal characteristics, and particularly, the larger surface area.
The IR783 fluorescence dye and a folic acid (FA) receptor were conjugated
with the synthesized Yb
x
-Gd
x
-HAp NPs to develop an effective imaging contrast
agent. The developed FA/IR783/Yb-Gd-HAp nanomaterial exhibited improved
contrast, sensitivity, and tumor-specific properties, as demonstrated
by using the customized LUX 4.0 fluorescence imaging system. An in
vitro cytotoxicity study was performed to verify the biocompatibility
of the synthesized NPs using MTT assay and fluorescence staining.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was also applied to determine the photosensitizer
properties of the synthesized Yb
x
-Gd
x
-HAp NPs. Further, reactive oxygen species
generation was confirmed by Prussian blue decay and a 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin
diacetate study. Moreover, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were used
to evaluate the efficiency of Yb
x
-Gd
x
-HAp NP-supported PDT.
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