Engineering Persistent Luminescence Nanoparticles for Biological Applications: From Biosensing/Bioimaging to...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) emit light after excitation ceases, enabling autofluorescence-free detection.
• Near-infrared (NIR) emitting PLNPs offer deep tissue penetration and reactivation by light, overcoming limitations of short luminescence lifetimes in bioimaging.
• Versatile strategies for integrating PLNPs with biological systems are essential for developing advanced nanoprobes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize achievements in biological applications of PLNPs, focusing on engineering strategies for nanoprobes.
• To highlight the design principles for PLNPs-based nanoprobes based on interactions with biological targets.
• To showcase applications in biosensing, bioimaging, and theranostics, including cancer biomarker detection and targeted therapies.

Main Methods:

• Surface engineering of PLNPs to create specific nanoprobes.
• Manipulating energy transfer (e.g., Förster resonance energy transfer) for targeted detection.
• Functionalization of PLNPs with targeting ligands and integration with other imaging modalities.

Main Results:

• Developed target-induced FRET systems for autofluorescence-free sensing and imaging of cancer biomarkers.
• Engineered PLNPs for tumor-targeted imaging, multimodal imaging, and various therapeutic applications (chemotherapy, photodynamic/photothermal therapy, gene therapy).
• Achieved theranostics for metastatic tumors by modifying PLNPs with multiple functional units.

Conclusions:

• The presented design principles and strategies are valuable for developing PLNPs-based nanoprobes for biological and medical applications.
• Future directions include synthesizing small, monodisperse, water-soluble PLNPs with high NIR PL intensity and long afterglow.
• Exploring X-ray excitation for deep-tissue imaging and integrating PLNPs with other nanomaterials holds promise for disease diagnosis and treatment.