Semiconductor ZnO based photosensitizer core–shell upconversion nanoparticle heterojunction for photodynamic therapy. Issue 63 (19th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yongmei; Li, Yuemei; Bai, Yandong; Wang, Rui; Lin, Laixiang; Sun, Yina
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 10:Issue 63(2020)
• Page Start: 38416
• Page End: 38423
• Publication Date: 2020-10-19
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ra07466g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : NaErF4 @ZnO UCNPs for potential application in thyroid tumor cell PDT. Abstract : Photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a noninvasive technique is widely used to treat cancer diseases due to its low side effects. PDT based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) improved tissue penetration and photo-stability. However, traditional photosensitizers and UCNPs were difficult to incorporate, which limited the circulation of the UCNPs in blood and decreased the PDT effect. Herein, we designed NaErF4 @ZnO UCNPs for potential application in thyroid tumor cell PDT. With ZnO coated on NaErF4, the blue (415 nm), green (525 nm/545 nm) and red (661 nm) upconversion luminescence enhanced compared with that of NaErF4 core nanoparticles. Particularly, the generation of UV upconversion emission by NaErF4 sensitized ZnO, which catalyzed H2 O and O2 to produce ROS reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cell lines BHP 5-16. With 1000 μg mL −1 of NaErF4 @ZnO UCNPs, the viability of BHP 5-16 cells decreased to about 41% as measured by CCK8 assay with 980 nm NIR irradiation. Moreover, it was confirmed that NaErF4 @ZnO UCNPs had low toxicity for BHP 5-16 cells. All these results indicated that NaErF4 @ZnO upconversion nanoparticles were an excellent platform for PDT treatment.