Abstract
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been synthesized and loaded with both aluminum chloride phthalocyanine (AlClPc) and cisplatin as combinatorial therapeutics for treating cancer. The structural and photophysical properties of the MSN materials were characterized by different spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity were evaluated in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assays, respectively. The CLSM experiments showed that the MSN materials can be readily internalized in HeLa cells. The cytotoxic experiments demonstrated that, after light exposure, the combination of both AlClPc and cisplatin compounds in the same MSN platform potentiate the toxic effect against HeLa cells in comparison to the control AlClPc-MSN and cisplatin-MSN materials. These results show the potential of using MSN platforms as nanocarriers for combination photodynamic and chemotherapies to treat cancer.
Highlights
Under illumination of light of a specific wavelength, photoactive molecules, called photosensitizers (PSs), will generate singlet oxygen species (1O2) or reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which are toxic to cancer cells [1,2,3,4]
Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesized through a surfactant-templated approach using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the surfactant [42]
The structural properties of MSNs, aluminum chloride phthalocyanine (AlClPc)–MSNs, cisplatin–MSNs, and AlClPc/cisplatin-MSNs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential, N2 sorption isotherms (Figure 1), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM))
Summary
Under illumination of light of a specific wavelength, photoactive molecules, called photosensitizers (PSs), will generate singlet oxygen species (1O2) or reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which are toxic to cancer cells [1,2,3,4]. The major advantage of this therapeutic approach, called photodynamic therapy (PDT), is that it is non-invasive and, more intrinsically safe compared to traditional cancer therapy modalities, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. In the absence of illumination with suitable wavelengths of light, PS molecules cannot be activated and cannot generate toxic products and are, safe to cells and tissues. Ideal characteristics of PS molecules include high toxicity only in the presence of light, selectivity and specificity for tumors, high quantum yields of singlet oxygen production, and absorption wavelengths between 600 and 800 nm [8]. An additional benefit is that fluorescence imaging can often be used to guide PDT because many PSs are fluorescent [9]
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