Enhanced drug retention by anthracene crosslinked nanocomposites for bimodal imaging-guided phototherapy

• Published in: Nanoscale 2021-09, Vol.13 (35), p.14713-14722
• Main Authors: Fan, Xiaoshan, Ke, Lingjie, Cheng, Hongwei, Chen, Hu, Li, Zhiguo, Ye, Enyi, Loh, Xian-Jun, Wu, Yun-Long, Liu, Gang, Li, Zibiao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthracene; Biomedical materials; Contrast agents; Crosslinking; Diagnosis; Dimers; Fluorescence; Light therapy; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Micelles; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Near infrared radiation; Penetration depth; Photodynamic therapy; Photothermal conversion; Polymer coatings; Real time; Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/d1nr04171a

Efficient drug delivery, multifunctional combined therapy and real-time diagnosis are the main hallmarks in the exploitation of precision nanomedicine. Herein, an anthracene-functionalized micelle containing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and the photosensitizer IR780 is designed to achieve sustained drug release and enhanced photothermal and photodynamic therapy. The polymer-coated hybrid micelle was achieved by crosslinking anthracene-dimer with UV light ( λ > 300 nm), which is converted from near-infrared (NIR) irradiation upon UCNPs. Besides, the water-insoluble photosensitizer IR780 is introduced into the system to achieve efficient drug delivery and photothermal and photodynamic synergistic therapy. As a consequence of NIR-induced anthracene-dimer formation, the cross-linked nanocomposite shows sustained drug release, and the enhanced retention effect of IR780 could increase the photothermal conversion efficiency. Importantly, the incorporation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidineoxyl (TEMPO) as a nitroxide MRI contrast agent presents the potential for real-time diagnosis via nanotheranostics, and the fluorescence imaging of IR780 is applied to monitor drug distribution and metabolism. This strategy of sustained drug delivery by anthracene-dimer formation through the better penetration depth of NIR-II fluorescence provides an executable platform to achieve enhanced phototherapy in biomedical applications. Core-shell structures of anthracene crosslinked nanocomposites containing upconverting nanoparticles and IR780 are manufactured to achieve better phototherapeutic tumor treatment with MRI/PA bimodal imaging guidance.