Copper-doped TiO2 nanocomposites: A dual functional nanoprobe for enhanced photodynamic therapy of breast tumor and antibacterial applications

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most challenging malignancies in the present era, which continues to attract researchers to discover new therapeutic routes to combat tumors. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been promised to deal with malignancies as well as bacterial infections during surgery or afterward. In this study, copper doped titanium dioxide nanocomposites (Cu-TiO2 NCs) are synthesized and modified by an FDA-approved triblock polymer (Pluronic® F-127) to enhance the biocompatibility and stability of NCs. PF-127 coating increased the hydrodynamic particle sizes to 190 nm for 1Cu-TiO2@PF-127 and 220 nm for 10Cu-TiO2@PF-127, while Cu doping raised the zeta potential to 6.64 mV, which shifted to −6.64 mV and −0.08 mV after PF-127 functionalization, indicating effective surface modification. This nano-assembly generated significant amount of reactive oxygen species and demonstrated 90 % cancer cell death after low-intensity UV irradiation (5.6 mW·cm−2), while maintaining more than 70 % survival of normal L929 cells, indicating low toxicity to healthy cells. Moreover, antibacterial analysis against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strains proved excellent antibacterial features of Cu-TiO2 NCs. Based on such outcomes, it can be expected that Cu-TiO2 NCs have potential for future nanomedicines.