Single-walled carbon nanotubes as a photo-thermo-acoustic cancer theranostic agent: theory and proof of the concept experiment

Abstract

Theranostics is the emerging field of medicine that uniquely combines diagnostic techniques and active agents to diagnose and treat medical conditions simultaneously or sequentially. Finding a theranostic agent capable to cure the affected cells and being safe for the healthy ones is the key for successful treatment. Here, we demonstrate that agglomerated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising theranostic agent that enables photo-activated ‘cold’ destruction of the cancer cells keeping their environment alive. The absorption of picosecond pulses by SWCNT agglomerates results in the mechanical (due to photoacoustic effect) rather than photothermal cancer cell destruction, which was visualized by micro-Raman and ultrafast near-infrared CARS. The developed theoretical model allows us to distinguish photothermal, photoacoustic, and photothermoacoustic regimes of the cancer cell destruction, and also to optimize SWCNT-based theranostics recipe.

Photoacoustic effect in micro- and nanostructures: numerical simulations of Lagrange equations

“…As the first example, consider the problem of the excitation of acoustic pulses in a spherical microparticle simulating an agglomerate of close-packed carbon nanotubes [12]. We assume the radius of the absorbing particle 0 1 μm R  , the absorption coefficient As the second example, the problem of the excitation of acoustic vibrations in spherical gold nanoparticles in an aqueous environment is considered.…”

Cancer nanotechnology: current status and perspectives

“…These NPs showed durable immune memory effect against tumor rechallenging without toxic side effects to major organs. A proof-of-principle report showed agglomerated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to be a potentially promising theranostic tool that allows for photoactivated destruction of cancer cells while keeping the local environment alive [ 320 ]. Absorptions of picosecond pulses of light by the SWCNTs creates photoacoustic induced cellular destruction without destroying the nearby environment allowing for continuous monitoring.…”

Modernistic and Emerging Developments of Nanotechnology in Glioblastoma-Targeted Theranostic Applications

“…Additionally, physicochemical and optical properties including size, length, dispersion, concentration, chemical functionalization, NIR absorption, and Raman spectral features are very crucial in determining their biodistribution and cytotoxicity for cancer research [55]. In this regard, the short-lengthened and agglomerated forms of single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) can facilitate the selective photoacoustic destruction of glioma under NIR laser irradiation without affecting the nearby tissues [56]. Another research group has developed SWCNT-DNA complexes, which can accumulate and localize inside the glioma cells at very fast rates while maintaining a significant mitochondrial potential and ROS production against glioma [57].…”