Development and applications of photo-triggered theranostic agents

Abstract

Theranostics, the fusion of therapy and diagnostics for optimizing efficacy and safety of therapeutic regimes, is a growing field that is paving the way towards the goal of personalized medicine for the benefit of patients. The use of light as a remote-activation mechanism for drug delivery has received increased attention due to its advantages in highly specific spatial and temporal control of compound release. Photo-triggered theranostic constructs could facilitate an entirely new category of clinical solutions which permit early recognition of the disease by enhancing contrast in various imaging modalities followed by the tailored guidance of therapy. Finally, such theranostic agents could aid imaging modalities in monitoring response to therapy. This article reviews recent developments in the use of light-triggered theranostic agents for simultaneous imaging and photoactivation of therapeutic agents. Specifically, we discuss recent developments in the use of theranostic agents for photodynamic-, photothermal-or photo-triggered chemo-therapy for several diseases.

Self-assembled polysaccharide nanostructures for controlled-release applications

“…This specificity has been achieved using targeting ligands, such as folate, attached to the surface of micelles [110] and particles composed of modified polysaccharides [111]. The term theranostics [112,113] has been given to the combined development of therapeutic and diagnostic technologies. Fortunately, there is significant overlap between these two fields, allowing for mutual gain from the future the development of polysaccharide nanostructures.…”

Graphene Oxide/Ag Nanoparticles Cooperated with Simvastatin as a High Sensitive X‐Ray Computed Tomography Imaging Agent for Diagnosis of Renal Dysfunctions

“…Currently, the nanoparticles of noble metals or their compounds were also introduced into CT imaging for tumorlocalizing and drug delivery. [4] However, these nanomaterials are difficult to be used independently for drug delivery, disease diagnosis, and treatment because of the small specific surface area, poor biocompatibility, high toxicity, and weak absorption capacity to small molecules. [4] Therefore, it is necessary to explore the nanomaterials or nanocomposites with low toxicity, high biocompatibility, and specific surface area for improving CT imaging in vivo.…”

“…Moreover, the toxicity of nanoparticles mainly depended on its size and surface groups, so many researchers have been attempting to reduce its toxicity in vivo or in vitro with modification of the functional groups or regulation size of nanoparticles. [4,8] However, even if the method could be found to reduce in vivo toxicity of nanoparticles to some degree, it is also unavoidable for some people to suffer its damage with the increase of exposure dose and time. Therefore, it is an important project to explore a novel method for the prevention or treatment of tissue damage induced by nanoparticles with clinical drugs.…”

<strong>Effect of Interaction with Micellar Media on Spectral Properties of some Amphiphilic Porphyrins</strong>

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The use of porphyrinic compounds in the field of theranostic nanomedicine, has increased substantially in the recent years due to their special features such as: long wavelength absorption and emission in the spectral region where the biological tissues absorb, a good photodynamic activity, photostability and low in vivo toxicity [1][2][3]. Despite significant advantages, due to the large  conjugate systems, porpyrins easily form aggregates, which have a significantly lower ability for localization at cellular level and consequently decrease the therapeutic effect.

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