Rational Designing of Hypocrellin B-Loaded Mesoporous Silicia-NaYF₄@NaSmF₄ Core@Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles for...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology and Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology

Background:

• Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, necessitating advanced therapeutic strategies.
• Conventional treatments face limitations, driving interest in minimally invasive alternatives like photodynamic therapy (PDT).
• Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) show potential for enhancing PDT efficacy in biological applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize mesoporous silica core-shell UCNPs loaded with Hypocrellin B (HB).
• To evaluate the efficacy of HB-loaded UCNPs as a photodynamic therapeutic agent for breast cancer.
• To investigate the mechanism of cancer cell death induced by UCNP-mediated PDT.

Main Methods:

• Layer-by-layer synthesis (hydrothermal and coprecipitation) of mesoporous silica core-shell UCNPs loaded with HB.
• Structural and morphological characterization using XRD, FESEM, and HRTEM.
• In vitro drug release studies, cell viability assays (IC50 determination), reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, apoptosis assays, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) measurements.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized HB-loaded mSi-CS-UCNPs with distinct structural and morphological properties.
• Demonstrated controlled in vitro release of HB from the UCNP carriers.
• Under 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, HB-loaded UCNPs significantly reduced cancer cell viability (IC50 = 29 μg/mL) via enhanced ROS production, apoptosis induction, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• HB-loaded mSi-CS-UCNPs effectively activate photosensitizers under NIR light, generating singlet oxygen (¹O₂) for cancer cell death.
• This UCNP-based PDT modality offers a promising approach for treating breast cancer through apoptosis or necrosis induction.
• The developed nanoplatform holds potential as a minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment.