Nanochemistry advancing photon conversion in rare-earth nanostructures for theranostics

• Published in: Coordination chemistry reviews 2022-06, Vol.460, p.214486, Article 214486
• Main Authors: Lv, Ruichan, Raab, Micah, Wang, Yanxing, Tian, Jie, Lin, Jun, Prasad, Paras N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Nanochemistry; Photo conversion; Rare earth; Theronostics
• ISSN: 0010-8545; 1873-3840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214486

[Display omitted] •This review is unique in scope and distinct from past reviews as we present nanochemistry approaches assisted by the new area of materials informatics utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to produce optimized multishell nanostructures containing RE ions.•It introduces approaches for photosentitization utilizing new mechanisms of energy transfer for photon harvesting by strongly absorbing dye antennas to produce highly efficient both photon UCL and DSL (in some cases concurrently).•The surface modification of these photonic nanoprobes for in vitro/vivo deep tissue bioimaging, and for multimodal imaging were described.•The probes can be used for sensing, accurate NIR nanothermometry, theranostics, and imaging guided synergistic photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), photoactive therapy, and controlled drug release.•Selected examples of theranostics such as the brain theranostics with neurophotonics, preclinical surgery navigation with the developed NIR II imaging are provided.•Tthis timely account of our current understanding and status of preclinically used RE luminescence probes may hopefully entice a broad range of scientists in different disciplines. Rare-earth (RE) doped nanoparticles show unique features of photon conversion from an incident wavelength to a more suitable wavelength at an intended biological site, thus enhancing the scope of theranostics. A number of reviews have already addressed biomedical applications of photon upconversion luminescence (UCL) from infrared (IR) to a shorter wavelength. However, there has been a great deal of recent interest in using photon downshifting luminescence (DSL) in RE ions to produce wavelengths in the near infrared (NIR) optical transparency windows such as NIR II and NIR III to enable deep tissue penetration with significantly less scattering for 3D deep tissue imaging. This review is unique in scope and distinct from past reviews as we present nanochemistry approaches assisted by the new area of materials informatics utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to produce optimized multishell nanostructures containing RE ions. It introduces approaches for photosentitization utilizing new mechanisms of energy transfer for photon harvesting by strongly absorbing dye antennas to produce highly efficient both photon UCL and DSL (in some cases concurrently). This includes dye conjugation for sensitization, luminescence modulation by meta