Modularly Assembled Upconversion Nanoparticles for Orthogonally Controlled Cell Imaging and Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) convert near-infrared light to short-wavelength emissions for deep tissue photoactivation.
• Current UCNPs often lack the flexibility for simultaneous or sequential activation of multiple molecules.
• Developing UCNPs with orthogonal emissions for independent control of biological processes is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a versatile method for assembling UCNPs into clusters (UCNPs-C) with adjustable and orthogonal emissions.
• To demonstrate the application of these UCNP clusters for nanoscale color encoding.
• To create orthogonal photoactivatable UCNP clusters (OP-UCNPs-C) for independent control of cellular processes.

Main Methods:

• Modular assembly of individual UCNPs into UCNP clusters (UCNPs-C).
• Design and synthesis of orthogonal photoactivatable UCNP clusters (OP-UCNPs-C) activated by different wavelengths (980 nm and 808 nm).
• Application of OP-UCNPs-C for independent cell imaging and drug delivery.

Main Results:

• A versatile and easier method for synthesizing UCNPs-C with tunable properties (size, shape, ions, emissions).
• Demonstrated nanoscale color encoding using UCNPs-C.
• Achieved independent activation of cell imaging (980 nm) and drug delivery (808 nm) using OP-UCNPs-C.
• Programmed activation led to targeted and enhanced cancer cell death compared to non-programmed methods.

Conclusions:

• Modular assembly offers a flexible approach to creating multifunctional UCNP nanoplatforms.
• OP-UCNPs-C provide independent control over distinct biological processes, enabling programmed activation.
• This technology enhances targeted cancer cell death through controlled imaging and drug delivery.