Perylenediimide chromophore as an efficient photothermal agent for cancer therapy
Shaobo Zhang1, Jianhao Li1, Jie Wei1
1State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
Abstract:
Photothermal agents with improved bioavailabilities can generate heat from near-infrared light, which has been efficiently used for in vivo photothermal therapy (PTT) for cancer, with minimum tissue invasion. Strategies for developing organic near-infrared-absorbing molecules for photothermal cancer therapy have drawn intensive attention among academic investigators. However, conventional organic near-infrared-absorbing molecules may not only have complex synthesis procedures, but also easily suffer from photobleaching under light irradiation. These drawbacks might lead to an increase in the synthesis cost, and elicit a risk of side effects in PTT. Thus, it is essential to devise an organic photothermal agent with stable photothermal capacity, which involves a facile synthesis process. In this study, incorporating a secondary amine group (donor) in the bay regions of perylenediimides (PDIs) could lead to a 150-nm bathochromic shift of the absorption maximum. Next, a modification of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) at the periphery of the chromophore renders the targeted macromolecule PDI-PEG highly water-soluble, and capable of intense absorption in the near-infrared region. The self-assembled PDI-based nanoparticles (PDI-NPs) have a size of 55 nm in aqueous solutions. PDI-NPs with excellent photostability possess a high photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 43% ± 2%. Finally, PDI-NPs allow for efficient in vitro and in vivo photothermal cancer therapy. Meanwhile, PDI-NPs exhibit quite low cytotoxicity and no biotoxicity on major organs in vivo. Thus, these easily-manufactured PDI-NPs can serve as extremely stable photothermal agents for efficient photothermal cancer therapy.
Insights
Researchers developed easily synthesized perylenediimide-based nanoparticles (PDINPs) for photothermal cancer therapy. These stable nanoparticles efficiently generate heat from near-infrared light, offering a promising, low-toxicity cancer treatment with minimal invasion.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Photothermal therapy (PTT) utilizes near-infrared (NIR) light to generate heat for cancer treatment, offering minimal invasiveness.
- Conventional organic NIR-absorbing molecules for PTT often involve complex synthesis and suffer from photobleaching, increasing costs and potential side effects.
- Developing stable, easily synthesized organic photothermal agents with high efficiency is crucial for advancing PTT.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize novel perylenediimide-based nanoparticles (PDINPs) as stable and efficient photothermal agents for cancer therapy.
- To enhance the water solubility and NIR absorption properties of perylenediimide derivatives through chemical modification.
- To evaluate the photothermal conversion efficiency, photostability, cytotoxicity, and in vivo efficacy of the developed PDINPs for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Incorporation of secondary amine groups into perylenediimide (PDI) structures to induce a bathochromic shift in absorption.
- Modification with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to achieve high water solubility and intense NIR absorption.
- Self-assembly of modified PDIs into nanoparticles (PDINPs) with controlled size (55 nm).
- Assessment of photothermal conversion efficiency (up to 43%), photostability, in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity, and biotoxicity.
Main Results:
- The synthesized PDINPs exhibited excellent photostability and a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 43% ± 2%.
- PDINPs demonstrated efficient in vitro and in vivo photothermal cancer therapy, leading to significant tumor suppression.
- The nanoparticles showed low cytotoxicity and no observable biotoxicity in major organs in vivo.
Conclusions:
- Easily manufactured PDINPs serve as highly stable and efficient photothermal agents for effective cancer therapy.
- The developed PDINPs offer a promising alternative to conventional agents, with improved properties and reduced risks.
- This study highlights the potential of functionalized perylenediimide nanoparticles in advancing photothermal cancer treatment.
More Related Videos
06:42Plasmonic Photothermal Cancer Therapy: Nanoparticle-embedded Tumor-tissue-mimicking Phantoms for Visualizing Photothermal Temperature Distribution
Published on: May 9, 2025
09:51One Minute, Sub-One-Watt Photothermal Tumor Ablation Using Porphysomes, Intrinsic Multifunctional Nanovesicles
Published on: September 17, 2013