Targeting single-walled carbon nanotubes for the treatment of breast cancer using photothermal therapy

• Published in: Nanotechnology 2013-09, Vol.24 (37), p.375104-375104
• Main Authors: Neves, Luís F F, Krais, John J, Van Rite, Brent D, Ramesh, Rajagopal, Resasco, Daniel E, Harrison, Roger G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Annexin A5 - isolation & purification; Annexin A5 - metabolism; Applied sciences; Biotinylation; Breast; Cancer; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Conjugates; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Cells - cytology; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Exact sciences and technology; Female; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate - metabolism; Fullerenes and related materials; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced; Infrared and raman spectra and scattering; Irradiation; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - secondary; Maleimides - chemistry; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal - pathology; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal - therapy; Materials science; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Nanotubes, Carbon - chemistry; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optoelectronic devices; Phosphatidylethanolamines - chemistry; Phototherapy; Physics; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Radiation effects on specific materials; Recombinant Proteins - isolation & purification; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Single wall carbon nanotubes; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Staining and Labeling; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Suspensions; Therapy; Tumours
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/24/37/375104

This paper focuses on the targeting of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for the treatment of breast cancer with minimal side effects using photothermal therapy. The human protein annexin V (AV) binds specifically to anionic phospholipids expressed externally on the surface of tumour cells and endothelial cells that line the tumour vasculature. A 2 h incubation of the SWNT-AV conjugate with proliferating endothelial cells followed by washing and near-infrared (NIR) irradiation at a wavelength of 980 nm was enough to induce significant cell death; there was no significant cell death with irradiation or the conjugate alone. Administration of the same conjugate i.v. in BALB/c female mice with implanted 4T1 murine mammary at a dose of 0.8 mg SWNT kg−1 and followed one day later by NIR irradiation of the tumour at a wavelength of 980 nm led to complete disappearance of implanted 4T1 mouse mammary tumours for the majority of the animals by 11 days since the irradiation. The combination of the photothermal therapy with the immunoadjuvant cyclophosphamide resulted in increased survival. The in vivo results suggest the SWNT-AV/NIR treatment is a promising approach to treat breast cancer.