Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
Rational Designing of Hypocrellin B-Loaded Mesoporous Silicia-NaYF4@NaSmF4 Core@Shell Upconversion Nanoparticles for
Selvamuthu Preethi1, Ponnusamy Chandrasekar1, Darson Jaison2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology, University College of Engineering, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract:
Breast cancer, the second leading cause of death among women globally, presents challenges to conventional treatments. To combat this, researchers are more interested in developing minimally invasive alternative treatments and have emerged with a potential photodynamic treatment (PDT). To enhance the PDT efficacy and explore its potential in biological applications, materials such as upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are being utilized. In this context, a combination of mesoporous silica core-shell UCNPs (mSi-CS-UCNPs: mSi-NaYF4@NaSmF4) loaded with Hypocrellin B (HB) was successfully synthesized via a layer-by-layer method (hydrothermal and coprecipitation methods). The structural and morphological studies of the synthesized HB-loaded mSi-CS-UCNPs were performed by XRD, FESEM, and HRTEM. The HB content was determined by RP-HPLC with peak detection at 254 nm and 3.8 min retention time. The in vitro release profile for HB, α-, and αβ-HB-mSi-CS-UCNPs gives 4.87, 38.9, and 56.47% of HB release at 72 h, respectively. The α and αβ phases of HB-mSi-CS-UCNPs under 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation show 39 and 42% cell viability with a 29 μg/mL IC50 value on 24 h treatment, which is less compared to that of the blank and HB-mSi-CS-UCNPs without light irradiation. Consequently, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, cell apoptosis assay, and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) of HB-loaded mSi-CS-UCNPs-treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells under 980 nm light irradiation also show better results, which represent higher singlet oxygen (1O2) production, leading to late apoptotic cells and features a decrease of ΔΨm by ROS generation. These results indicate that the HB-mSi-CS-UCNPs can effectively activate the loaded photosensitizers in the presence of 980 nm NIR light irradiation and produce 1O2 for cancer cell death by either apoptosis or necrosis and could be used as a therapeutic modality for the treatment of breast cancers.
Insights
Researchers developed novel upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) loaded with Hypocrellin B (HB) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) against breast cancer. This innovative approach enhances PDT efficacy, offering a promising minimally invasive treatment option.
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.
More Related Videos
09:34Uptake of New Lipid-coated Nanoparticles Containing Falcarindiol by Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Published on: February 9, 2019
09:01Magnetic-, Acoustic-, and Optical-Triple-Responsive Microbubbles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and Pothotothermal Combination Cancer Therapy
Published on: May 22, 2020
