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Research Article

Utilizing dual-pathway energy transfer in upconversion nanoconjugates for reinforced photodynamic therapy

Ruohao Zhang1,2, Yu Lu1,3, Yifei Zhou1,2, Kehong Lv1,2, Xinyu Fu1,2, Jitong Gong1,2, Shuang Yao1, Xiaozhen Wang4, Jing Feng1,2( ), Hongjie Zhang1,2,5( )
State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
Department of Breast Surgery, General Surgery Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Graphical Abstract

We developed a novel nanoconjugate (UCNP-Ce6/AIEgen) that compensates for insufficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by traditional single-pathway photodynamic therapy (PDT) via dual-pathway energy transfer (direct lanthanide-triplet energy transfer, DTET; Fӧrster resonance energy transfer, FRET) and reinforces PDT effect on 4T1 tumor model in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract

Enhancing the therapeutic effect of existing treatments or developing new non-invasive treatments are important measures to achieve high-efficiency treatment of malignant tumors. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an emerging treatment modality, and the key for achieving high-efficiency PDT is to select light with strong tissue penetration depth and enhance the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) modified with the photosensitizers could achieve PDT with strong penetration depth under near-infrared light irradiation, the ROS generated by traditional single-pathway PDT is still insufficient. Herein, we developed a novel nanoconjugate (UCNP-Ce6/AIEgen) for dual-pathway reinforced PDT, in which the UCNPs were co-modified with chlorin e6 (Ce6) and luminogen with aggregation-induced emission (AIEgen). Due to the presence of AIEgen, UCNP-Ce6/AIEgen could avoid aggregation-caused luminescence quenching in biological water environments and convert upconversion luminescence (UCL) of UCNPs to Ce6-activatable fluorescence. Therefore, under the irradiation of 808 nm laser, UCNP-Ce6/AIEgen can not only undergo direct lanthanide-triplet energy transfer to activate Ce6, but also convert the UCL of UCNPs to the light that can activate Ce6 through Fӧrster resonance energy transfer to generate more ROS, thus promoting tumor cell apoptosis. This work broadens the applications of nanoconjugates of lanthanide-based inorganic materials and organic dyes, and provides a conception for reinforced PDT of tumors.

Keywords

photodynamic therapyaggregation-induced emissionFörster resonance energy transferupconversion nanoparticledirect lanthanide-triplet energy transfer

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Nano Research
Volume 17 Issue 4,
April 2024
Pages 2941-2948
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-023-6202-0
Cite this article:
Zhang R, Lu Y, Zhou Y, et al. Utilizing dual-pathway energy transfer in upconversion nanoconjugates for reinforced photodynamic therapy. Nano Research, 2024, 17(4): 2941-2948. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-6202-0
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BiotechnologyOncologyTheranostics

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Received: 27 July 2023
Revised: 14 September 2023
Accepted: 14 September 2023
Published: 16 October 2023
© Tsinghua University Press 2023
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