Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2025
Anticancer Efficacy of Photodynamic Therapy with Lung Cancer-Targeted Nanoparticles
Published on: December 1, 2016
Injectable Alginate Complex Hydrogel Loaded with Dual-Drug Nanovectors Offers Effective Photochemotherapy against
Yu-Hsiang Lee1,2, Chih-Ting Lin1
1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan City 320317, Taiwan R.O.C.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), accounting for approximately 20% of breast cancer cases, is a particular subtype that lacks tumor-specific targets and is difficult to treat due to its high aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Chemotherapy remains the major systemic treatment for TNBC. However, its applicability and efficacy in the clinic are usually concerning due to a lack of targeting, adverse side effects, and occurrence of multidrug resistance, suggesting that the development of effective therapeutics is still highly demanded nowadays. In this study, an injectable alginate complex hydrogel loaded with indocyanine green (ICG)-entrapped perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions (IPNEs) and camptothecin (CPT)-doped chitosan nanoparticles (CCNPs), named IPECCNAHG, was developed for photochemotherapy against TNBC. IPNEs with perfluorocarbon can induce hyperthermia and generate more singlet oxygen than an equal dose of free ICG upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation to achieve photothermal and photodynamic therapy. CCNPs with positive charge may facilitate cellular internalization and provide sustained release of CPT to carry out chemotherapy. Both nanovectors can stabilize agents in the same hydrogel system without interactions. IPECCNAHG integrating IPNEs and CCNPs enables stage-wise combinational therapeutics that may overcome the issues described above. With 60 s of NIR irradiation, IPECCNAHG significantly inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 tumors in the mice without systemic toxicity within the 21 day treatment. We speculate that such anticancer efficacy was accomplished by phototherapy followed by chemotherapy, where cancer cells were first destroyed by IPNE-derived hyperthermia and singlet oxygen, followed by sustained damage with CPT after internalization of CCNPs; a two-stage tumoricidal process. Taken together, the developed IPECCNAHG is anticipated to be a feasible tool for TNBC treatment in the clinic.
Insights
A novel hydrogel, IPECCNAHG, combines phototherapy and chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This dual-action approach effectively inhibits tumor growth with minimal toxicity, offering a promising new treatment strategy.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive, lacks specific targets, and shows poor prognosis.
- Current chemotherapy for TNBC faces challenges like side effects and multidrug resistance.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for effective TNBC treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an injectable hydrogel (IPECCNAHG) for combined photochemotherapy against TNBC.
- To integrate indocyanine green-entrapped perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions (IPNEs) for phototherapy and camptothecin-doped chitosan nanoparticles (CCNPs) for chemotherapy.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the developed hydrogel in a preclinical TNBC model.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of an injectable alginate complex hydrogel encapsulating IPNEs and CCNPs.
- IPNEs were designed for photothermal and photodynamic therapy upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation.
- CCNPs were engineered for sustained camptothecin (CPT) release and enhanced cellular uptake.
Main Results:
- The IPECCNAHG hydrogel demonstrated synergistic photothermal and photodynamic effects via IPNEs.
- CCNPs facilitated sustained CPT release, enhancing chemotherapy's efficacy.
- NIR irradiation of IPECCNAHG significantly inhibited MDA-MB-231 tumor growth in mice within 21 days.
- The treatment showed no observable systemic toxicity.
Conclusions:
- The developed IPECCNAHG hydrogel provides a stage-wise combinational therapeutic approach for TNBC.
- This dual-stage treatment, combining phototherapy and chemotherapy, effectively targets and destroys cancer cells.
- IPECCNAHG shows potential as a feasible and effective therapeutic tool for clinical TNBC treatment.
