Photoresponsive Biomimetic Protocells for Near-Infrared-Light-Regulated Phototheranostics

Abstract

Nature has created complex living systems with outstanding structure and remarkable function. Constructing biomimetic systems that rival living organisms has attracted considerable research interest in research fields of self-assembly and bionic science. Inspired by the composition of photosynthetic bacteria, we have designed artificial photoresponsive protocells through capsulation of upconversion nanoparticles@black phosphorus quantum dots (UCNPs@BPQDs) within aptamer-modified liposome (Apt-Lip) to form UCNPs@BPQDs@Apt-Lip (UBAL). The UBAL protocells with near-infrared-lightharvesting capability actively and efficiently convert light energy into chemical and heat energy. Furthermore, the successful application of the protocells to malignant tumors in vivo exhibited near-infraredlight-mediated targeted combined photodynamic and photothermal synergistic therapy. Our demonstration of operative protocells not only represents a method for fabricating light-harvesting systems based on nanoassembly, but also provides a promising step toward photosynthetic protocells with integrated cell-like structure and light-harvesting function for nanomedicine.

Energy Pumping by Surface Collectors on Upconversion Nanoparticles for Extended Transfer and Efficient Self-Evaluable Photodynamic Therapy

“…(2) = 6 0 6 0 + 6 where r is the distance between UCNP interior emitter Er 3+ (donor) and Cy3 labelled on DNA strand (acceptor), and R 0 denotes the Förster distance of donor−acceptor pair, which is calculated to be 3.5 nm with the fluorescence decay of UCNP-DNA-Cy3@1-20, close to those reported previously [23][24][25][26] . UCNP-DNA-Cy3@1 demonstrated the energy transfer efficiency of 60.1%, while the energy transfer efficiency for UCNP-DNA-Cy3@5 was below 30%, and UCNP-DNA-Cy3@15 and @20 showed rarely photon transfer, consistent with the appearance of fluorescence intensity and lifetime (Figure 2C and Supporting Information Figure S3B).…”

“…The multiplex upconversion emissions and relatively low background make upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) a popular nanomaterial for designing bioprobes in bioanalysis and cancer therapy recently [1][2][3][4][5][6] . Taking UCNP as energy donor and dye attached on its surface as energy acceptor, different "off-on" upconversion bioprobes have been designed for sensing of small molecules such as metal ions 7,8 , ATP 9 , free radicals 10,11 , pH 12,13 , sulfur compounds 14 , and drug metabolites 15,16 .…”

Multi‐Functional Liposome: A Powerful Theranostic Nano‐Platform Enhancing Photodynamic Therapy

“…[ 113 ] For instance, the nucleolin‐specific aptamer AS1411, a G‐rich DNA oligonucleotide, was modified on the surface of the liposome UCNPs@BPQDs@Apt‐Lip (UBAL), that encapsulated upconversion nanoparticles@black phosphorus quantum dots (UCNPs@BPQDs). [ 114 ] The aptamer‐modified liposome guided the tumor cell‐targeted combined therapies of PTT and PDT.…”

Degradable Hybrid CuS Nanoparticles for Imaging-Guided Synergistic Cancer Therapy via Low-Power NIR-II Light Excitation

“…20,21 Such an O 2 -irrelevant PDT-like therapy can overcome tumor hypoxia and greatly improve therapeutic efficacy against tumors. However, most studies have used photothermal agents with excitation in the NIR-I region (650-950 nm), [20][21][22][23][24][25] which may have low maximum permissible exposure (MPE; e.g., 0.33 W cm −2 at 808 nm) and insufficient tissue penetration depth. 26 Considering that NIR-II light (1000-1700 nm) has less tissue scattering, greater penetration depth, and higher MPE (e.g., 1 W/cm 2 at 1064 nm) than NIR-I light, 27,28 combined therapy that allows for excitation by NIR-II light to produce heat and tumor O 2 -independent free radicals may be preferable in treating deep-seated hypoxic tumors.…”