Mesoporous carbon nanospheres as a multifunctional carrier for cancer theranostics

Libo Zhou; Ying Jing; Yubin Liu; Zhihe Liu; Duyang Gao; Haobin Chen; Weiye Song; Tao Wang; Xiaofeng Fang; Weiping Qin; Zhen Yuan; Sheng Dai; Zhen An Qiao; Changfeng Wu

doi:10.7150/thno.21927

Mesoporous carbon nanospheres as a multifunctional carrier for cancer theranostics

Libo Zhou, Ying Jing, Yubin Liu, Zhihe Liu, Duyang Gao, Haobin Chen, Weiye Song, Tao Wang, Xiaofeng Fang, Weiping Qin, Zhen Yuan, Sheng Dai, Zhen An Qiao, Changfeng Wu

Chemical Sciences Division

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

108 Scopus citations

Abstract

Optical nanomaterials with intense absorption in near-infrared (NIR) region hold great promise for biomedical applications such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In this work, we report mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Meso-CNs) with broadband and intense absorption in the UV-Vis-NIR region (300-1400 nm) and explore their potential as a multifunctional platform for photoacoustic imaging and chemo-photothermal therapy. Methods: Meso-CNs were prepared by a "silica-assisted" synthesis strategy and characterized by transmission electron microscope and optical spectroscopy. We investigated the photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging of Meso-CNs in comparison with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene and gold nanorods (GNRs). In vitro cellular assays and in vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy were performed. Results: The absorption coefficients of Meso-CNs are 1.5-2 times higher than those of SWCNTs and graphene and are comparable to those of GNRs in both the first and the second near-infrared optical windows (NIR-I and NIR-II) of tissues. When exposed to an NIR laser, the photothermal and photoacoustic signal generation of Meso-CNs are also stronger than those of SWCNTs, graphene, and GNRs. DOX was loaded into Meso-CNs with a high efficiency (35 wt%) owing to the unique mesoporous structure. Particularly, the drug release from Meso-CNs is sensitive to both pH and NIR light stimulation. In vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy demonstrates a remarkable inhibition effect on tumor growth under NIR laser treatment. Conclusions: We have developed Meso-CNs for photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging. The porous structure also serves as a drug carrier and the drug release can be controlled by pH and external light. The high drug loading capacity, superior photothermal and photoacoustic generation, together with the apparent chemo-photothermal therapeutic effect, make Meso-CNs a promising platform for cancer theranostics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	663-675
Number of pages	13
Journal	Theranostics
Volume	8
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.21927
State	Published - 2018

Funding

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 61335001; NSFC 21671073; NSFC 81771930) and Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission (Grant No. JCYJ20170307110157501). The study was also supported in part by MYRG2015-00036-FHS and MYRG2016-00110-FHS grants from the University of Macau as well as FDCT 026/2014/A1 and FDCT 025/2015/A1 grants from the Macao government.

Funders	Funder number
Macao government
Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Commission
National Natural Science Foundation of China	NSFC 81771930, 61335001, NSFC 21671073
Universidade de Macau	FDCT 025/2015/A1, 026/2014/A1, MYRG2015-00036-FHS, MYRG2016-00110-FHS

Keywords

Drug delivery
Mesoporous carbon nanospheres
Near-infrared absorption
Photoacoustic imaging
Photothermal therapy

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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title = "Mesoporous carbon nanospheres as a multifunctional carrier for cancer theranostics",

abstract = "Optical nanomaterials with intense absorption in near-infrared (NIR) region hold great promise for biomedical applications such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In this work, we report mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Meso-CNs) with broadband and intense absorption in the UV-Vis-NIR region (300-1400 nm) and explore their potential as a multifunctional platform for photoacoustic imaging and chemo-photothermal therapy. Methods: Meso-CNs were prepared by a {"}silica-assisted{"} synthesis strategy and characterized by transmission electron microscope and optical spectroscopy. We investigated the photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging of Meso-CNs in comparison with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene and gold nanorods (GNRs). In vitro cellular assays and in vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy were performed. Results: The absorption coefficients of Meso-CNs are 1.5-2 times higher than those of SWCNTs and graphene and are comparable to those of GNRs in both the first and the second near-infrared optical windows (NIR-I and NIR-II) of tissues. When exposed to an NIR laser, the photothermal and photoacoustic signal generation of Meso-CNs are also stronger than those of SWCNTs, graphene, and GNRs. DOX was loaded into Meso-CNs with a high efficiency (35 wt%) owing to the unique mesoporous structure. Particularly, the drug release from Meso-CNs is sensitive to both pH and NIR light stimulation. In vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy demonstrates a remarkable inhibition effect on tumor growth under NIR laser treatment. Conclusions: We have developed Meso-CNs for photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging. The porous structure also serves as a drug carrier and the drug release can be controlled by pH and external light. The high drug loading capacity, superior photothermal and photoacoustic generation, together with the apparent chemo-photothermal therapeutic effect, make Meso-CNs a promising platform for cancer theranostics.",

keywords = "Drug delivery, Mesoporous carbon nanospheres, Near-infrared absorption, Photoacoustic imaging, Photothermal therapy",

author = "Libo Zhou and Ying Jing and Yubin Liu and Zhihe Liu and Duyang Gao and Haobin Chen and Weiye Song and Tao Wang and Xiaofeng Fang and Weiping Qin and Zhen Yuan and Sheng Dai and Qiao, {Zhen An} and Changfeng Wu",

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year = "2018",

doi = "10.7150/thno.21927",

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T1 - Mesoporous carbon nanospheres as a multifunctional carrier for cancer theranostics

AU - Zhou, Libo

AU - Jing, Ying

AU - Liu, Yubin

AU - Liu, Zhihe

AU - Gao, Duyang

AU - Chen, Haobin

AU - Song, Weiye

AU - Wang, Tao

AU - Fang, Xiaofeng

AU - Qin, Weiping

AU - Yuan, Zhen

AU - Dai, Sheng

AU - Qiao, Zhen An

AU - Wu, Changfeng

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Optical nanomaterials with intense absorption in near-infrared (NIR) region hold great promise for biomedical applications such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In this work, we report mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Meso-CNs) with broadband and intense absorption in the UV-Vis-NIR region (300-1400 nm) and explore their potential as a multifunctional platform for photoacoustic imaging and chemo-photothermal therapy. Methods: Meso-CNs were prepared by a "silica-assisted" synthesis strategy and characterized by transmission electron microscope and optical spectroscopy. We investigated the photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging of Meso-CNs in comparison with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene and gold nanorods (GNRs). In vitro cellular assays and in vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy were performed. Results: The absorption coefficients of Meso-CNs are 1.5-2 times higher than those of SWCNTs and graphene and are comparable to those of GNRs in both the first and the second near-infrared optical windows (NIR-I and NIR-II) of tissues. When exposed to an NIR laser, the photothermal and photoacoustic signal generation of Meso-CNs are also stronger than those of SWCNTs, graphene, and GNRs. DOX was loaded into Meso-CNs with a high efficiency (35 wt%) owing to the unique mesoporous structure. Particularly, the drug release from Meso-CNs is sensitive to both pH and NIR light stimulation. In vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy demonstrates a remarkable inhibition effect on tumor growth under NIR laser treatment. Conclusions: We have developed Meso-CNs for photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging. The porous structure also serves as a drug carrier and the drug release can be controlled by pH and external light. The high drug loading capacity, superior photothermal and photoacoustic generation, together with the apparent chemo-photothermal therapeutic effect, make Meso-CNs a promising platform for cancer theranostics.

AB - Optical nanomaterials with intense absorption in near-infrared (NIR) region hold great promise for biomedical applications such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In this work, we report mesoporous carbon nanospheres (Meso-CNs) with broadband and intense absorption in the UV-Vis-NIR region (300-1400 nm) and explore their potential as a multifunctional platform for photoacoustic imaging and chemo-photothermal therapy. Methods: Meso-CNs were prepared by a "silica-assisted" synthesis strategy and characterized by transmission electron microscope and optical spectroscopy. We investigated the photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging of Meso-CNs in comparison with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), graphene and gold nanorods (GNRs). In vitro cellular assays and in vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy were performed. Results: The absorption coefficients of Meso-CNs are 1.5-2 times higher than those of SWCNTs and graphene and are comparable to those of GNRs in both the first and the second near-infrared optical windows (NIR-I and NIR-II) of tissues. When exposed to an NIR laser, the photothermal and photoacoustic signal generation of Meso-CNs are also stronger than those of SWCNTs, graphene, and GNRs. DOX was loaded into Meso-CNs with a high efficiency (35 wt%) owing to the unique mesoporous structure. Particularly, the drug release from Meso-CNs is sensitive to both pH and NIR light stimulation. In vivo chemo-photothermal combination therapy demonstrates a remarkable inhibition effect on tumor growth under NIR laser treatment. Conclusions: We have developed Meso-CNs for photothermal conversion and photoacoustic imaging. The porous structure also serves as a drug carrier and the drug release can be controlled by pH and external light. The high drug loading capacity, superior photothermal and photoacoustic generation, together with the apparent chemo-photothermal therapeutic effect, make Meso-CNs a promising platform for cancer theranostics.

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KW - Mesoporous carbon nanospheres

KW - Near-infrared absorption

KW - Photoacoustic imaging

KW - Photothermal therapy

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Mesoporous carbon nanospheres as a multifunctional carrier for cancer theranostics

Abstract

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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