Engineered porphyrin loaded core-shell nanoparticles for selective sonodynamic anticancer treatment

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Core-shell nanoparticles offer versatile platforms for biomedical applications.
• Porphyrin derivatives are explored for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer porphyrin-loaded core-shell nanoparticles for in vivo sonosensitizing, radio-tracer, and MR imaging applications.
• To evaluate the potential of these nanoparticles for selective solid tumor treatment and imaging.

Main Methods:

• Polymethyl methacrylate nanoparticles (PMMANPs) were synthesized and loaded with meso-tetrakis (4-sulphonatophenyl) porphyrin (TPPS).
• Formulations included TPPS for sonodynamic therapy, (64)Cu-TPPS for PET biodistribution, and Mn(III)-TPPS for MR imaging.
• In vivo studies were conducted using a Mat B III syngeneic rat breast cancer model.

Main Results:

• PMMANPs demonstrated ease of functionalization with negatively charged molecules and favorable biodistribution.
• In vivo experiments showed TPPS-PMMANPs exhibited shock wave responsiveness.
• MR analyses confirmed changes in tumor volumes post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• TPPS-PMMANPs represent a multimodal system with efficient in vivo sonodynamic anticancer activity.
• This nanoparticle system holds potential for targeted cancer therapy and advanced imaging.