Evaluation of photodynamic activity of C60/2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin nanoparticles

The objective of this study is to evaluate the ability of C(60)/2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CyD) naonparticles to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to induce cell toxicity by the photoirradiation. C(60) nanoparticles were prepared by cogrinding with HP-β-CyD for 3 h at 4°C under reduced pressure. The photodynamic activity of C(60)/HP-β-CyD nanoparticles was evaluated by spectroscopic methods, including the electron spin resonance spin-trapping method, and by the cell viability test using Hela cells. C(60)/HP-β-CyD nanoparticles efficiently generated not only superoxide anion radical (O(2)(·-)) and hydroxyl radical (·OH), but also singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) through photoirradiation. The ROS generation was enhanced by decreasing the mean particle diameter of C(60) nanoparticles, and the particle size smaller than 90 nm showed a high generation of ·OH and (1)O(2). In addition, HP-β-CyD enhanced the generation of (1)O(2), compared with polyvinylpyrrolidone (an effective solubillizer for C(60)), due to partial disposition of C(60) in the hydrophobic CyD cavity. Furthermore, C(60) /HP-β-CyD nanoparticles showed cell toxicity after the light irradiation, but no toxicity was observed without the light irradiation. Therefore, HP-β-CyD is useful for the preparation of stable C(60) nanoparticles with high ROS generation ability, and C(60)/HP-β-CyD nanoparticles are a promising photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy.