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Synergistic Targeting and Efficient Photodynamic Therapy Based on Graphene Oxide Quantum Dot‐Upconversion Nanocrystal Hybrid Nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Liu Yan,
Xu Yawen,
Geng Xiangshuai,
Huo Yingying,
Chen Dexin,
Sun Kang,
Zhou Guangdong,
Chen Biqiong,
Tao Ke
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201800293
Subject(s) - photodynamic therapy , nanoparticle , quantum dot , moiety , nanotechnology , photon upconversion , surface modification , nanomedicine , graphene , materials science , nanocrystal , photosensitizer , chemistry , biophysics , photochemistry , optoelectronics , luminescence , biology , organic chemistry , stereochemistry
Locating nanotherapeutics at the active sites, especially in the subcellular scale, is of great importance for nanoparticle‐based photodynamic therapy (PDT) and other nanotherapies. However, subcellular targeting agents are generally nonspecific, despite the fact that the accumulation of a nanoformulation at active organelles leads to better therapeutic efficacy. A PDT nanoformulation is herein designed by using graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) with rich functional groups as both the supporter for dual targeting modification and the photosensitizer for generating reactive oxygen species, and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs) as the transducer of excitation light. A tumor‐targeting agent, folic acid, and a mitochondrion‐targeting moiety, carboxybutyl triphenylphosphonium, are simultaneously attached onto the UCNs–GOQDs hybrid nanoparticles by surface modification, and a synergistic targeting effect is obtained for these nanoparticles according to both in vitro and in vivo experiments. More significant cell death and a higher extent of mitochondrion damage are observed compared to the results of UCNs–GOQDs nanoparticles with no or just one targeting moiety. Furthermore, the PDT efficacy on tumor‐bearing mice is also effectively improved. Overall, the current work presents a synergistic strategy to enhance subcellular targeting and the PDT efficacy for cancer therapy, which may also shed light on other kinds of nanotherapies.