Multi-stimuli responsive Cu2S nanocrystals as trimodal imaging and synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy agents

• Published in: Nanoscale Vol. 7; no. 18; pp. 8378 - 8388
• Main Authors: Poulose, Aby Cheruvathoor, Veeranarayanan, Srivani, Mohamed, M Sheikh, Nagaoka, Yutaka, Aburto, Rebeca Romero, Mitcham, Trevor, Ajayan, Pulickel M, Bouchard, Richard R, Sakamoto, Yasushi, Yoshida, Yasuhiko, Maekawa, Toru, Kumar, D Sakthi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 14.05.2015
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Contrast Media - chemical synthesis; Copper - chemistry; Copper - radiation effects; Delayed-Action Preparations - chemical synthesis; Doxorubicin - administration & dosage; Doxorubicin - chemistry; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Light; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Metal Nanoparticles - radiation effects; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Multimodal Imaging - methods; Nanocapsules - chemistry; Nanocapsules - radiation effects; Nanocapsules - ultrastructure; Photochemotherapy - methods; Theranostic Nanomedicine - methods; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/c4nr07139e

A size and shape tuned, multifunctional metal chalcogenide, Cu2S-based nanotheranostic agent is developed for trimodal imaging and multimodal therapeutics against brain cancer cells. This theranostic agent was highly efficient in optical, photoacoustic and X-ray contrast imaging systems. The folate targeted NIR-responsive photothermal ablation in synergism with the chemotherapeutic action of doxorubicin proved to be a rapid precision guided cancer-killing module. The multi-stimuli, i.e., pH-, thermo- and photo-responsive drug release behavior of the nanoconjugates opens up a wider corridor for on-demand triggered drug administration. The simple synthesis protocol, combined with the multitudes of interesting features packed into a single nanoformulation, clearly demonstrates the competing role of this Cu2S nanosystem in future cancer treatment strategies.