Aptamer-guided upconversion nanoplatform for targeted drug delivery and near-infrared light-triggered photodynamic therapy

Abstract

Current photodynamic therapy faces two major challenges, which are the limited tissue penetration of excitation light and poor tumor selectivity of the photosensitizer. To address these issues, in the present work, a photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX was delivered by aptamer-coated upconversion nanoparticles. The aptamer, namely, AS1411, could fold to G-quadruplex structures with the bi-functions of loading protoporphyrin IX and targeting the cancerous cells. The protoporphyrin IX aptamer-coated upconversion nanoparticle nanospheres exhibited good biocompatibility, high nuclease resistance, and targeted cellular internalization. The receptor blocking experiment indicated that the cellular uptake of protoporphyrin IX aptamer-coated upconversion nanoparticle mainly attributed to the binding of AS1411 to the nucleolin overexpressed on the cancerous cell membrane. Moreover, high-efficient photodynamic therapy of the asprepared protoporphyrin IX aptamer-coated upconversion nanoparticle nanospheres was achieved to cancerous cells under the irradiation of near-infrared light, which was induced by the upconversion property of the upconversion nanoparticle. These results indicate that the fabricated protoporphyrin IX aptamer-coated upconversion nanoparticle nanoplatform has higher efficiency, lower toxicity, and less side effects compared to the free photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX, and thus is a new promising photodynamic therapy agent especially for the deep-seated tumors.

Aptamer-Based Targeting Cancer: A Powerful Tool for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Aims

“…Also, they have some superiors such as auto-fluorescent background free, deep penetration accessibility for excitation, and photochemical stability [56]. In this regard, Lin et al, introduced a NaYF4:Yb (20%), Er (2%) nanocluster (UCNP) for photodynamic therapy [21]. For this purpose, they used AS1411 for targeting the MCF-7 and Hella cells.…”

VEGF aptamer/i-motif-grafted multi-functional SPION nanocarrier for chemotherapeutic/phototherapeutic synergistic research

“…1100 cm À1 can be ascribed to the pyrrole ring's vibration. 19,21 Comparing with the IR spectrum of V7t1-gc34@SPION which has few obvious bands, the IR results of TMPyP&DNM@V7t1-gc34@SPION exhibit the characteristic bands of both DNM (bands around 1725 cm À1 and 3420 cm À1 ) and TMPyP (bands near 2939 cm À1 and 2813 cm À1 , 1353 cm À1 , 1239 cm À1 and 1190 cm À1 ). The drugs were further convinced to be successfully loaded on the solid support by these spectral results.…”

“…Under the illumination, TMPyP&DNM@ V7t1-gc34@SPION exhibits higher cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cell lines than the individual DNM and TMPyP (Figure 3(b)), indicating that the system has a synergistic enhancement in the cellular cytotoxicity through the combination of chemotherapeutic/photodynamic therapies. 21,22…”

Recent progress in sono-photodynamic cancer therapy: From developed new sensitizers to nanotechnology-based efficacy-enhancing strategies

“…FA-modified poly (lactic -co- glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoplatforms could efficiently accumulate in tumor through FA receptor-binding and the loaded HMME could exert ultrasound-triggered SDT to suppress tumor growth in MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice 157 . AS1411 aptamer-modified upconversion nanoplatform could promote cellular uptake through nucleolin-binding and achieve NIR-triggered PDT to treat deep-seated tumors 158 . TiO 2 -coated upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) modified with PEGylated epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) affibody could specifically target EGFR expressing cancer cells and were internalized much more rapidly and efficiently (∼3.8-fold) than unmodified TiO 2 -UCNPs, significantly delaying tumor growth under 980 nm NIR-II laser irradiation 159 .…”