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Updated: Aug 31, 2025
An Integrated System to Remotely Trigger Intracellular Signal Transduction by Upconversion Nanoparticle-mediated Kinase Photoactivation
Published on: August 30, 2017
AIE-active iridium(III) complex integrated with upconversion nanoparticles for NIR-irradiated photodynamic therapy
Shengnan Liu1, Jiahong Han1, Yulei Chang2
1Key Laboratory of Nanobiosensing and Nanobioanalysis at Universities of Jilin Province, Department of Chemistry, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun, Jilin Province 130024, P. R. China. zhudx047@nenu.edu.cn.
Researchers developed a novel photosensitizer (PS) by combining aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active Iridium(III) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). This new material effectively kills cancer cells in vitro, showing promise for photodynamic therapy (PDT).
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Photochemistry
Background:
- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a promising cancer treatment modality.
- Developing efficient photosensitizers (PS) that can be activated by near-infrared (NIR) light is crucial for deep-tissue penetration.
- Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials offer unique photophysical properties for bioimaging and therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel NIR-irradiated photosensitizer (PS) by integrating an AIE-active Iridium(III) complex with upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).
- To evaluate the efficacy of the developed PS (UCNPs@Ir-2-N) for in vitro cancer cell killing via photodynamic therapy.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of UCNPs@Ir-2-N by conjugating an AIE-active Ir(III) complex with UCNPs.
- Characterization of the synthesized material's photophysical properties, including 1O2 generation.
- In vitro evaluation of biocompatibility, cellular uptake, and phototoxicity against 4T1 mouse cancer cells under NIR irradiation.
Main Results:
- The UCNPs@Ir-2-N exhibited satisfactory biocompatibility and good accumulation within cancer cells.
- The photosensitizer demonstrated excellent phototoxicity and a high ability to generate singlet oxygen (1O2) upon NIR irradiation.
- Effective killing of 4T1 mouse cancer cells was observed in vitro.
Conclusions:
- The UCNPs@Ir-2-N is a highly effective NIR-activated photosensitizer with potential for photodynamic therapy.
- The integration of AIE-active Ir(III) complexes and UCNPs provides a viable strategy for developing advanced PDT agents.
- This study highlights the potential of UCNPs@Ir-2-N for future clinical applications in cancer treatment.
