808 nm-activable core@multishell upconverting nanoparticles with enhanced stability for efficient photodynamic therapy

BACKGROUND: The unique upconversion properties of rare-earth-doped nanoparticles offers exciting opportunities for biomedical applications, in which near-IR remote activation of biological processes is desired, including in vivo bioimaging, optogenetics, and light-based therapies. Tuning of upconversion in purposely designed core–shell nanoparticles gives access to biological windows in biological tissue. In recent years there have been several reports on NIR-excitable upconverting nanoparticles capable of working in biological mixtures and cellular settings. Unfortunately, most of these nanosystems are based on ytterbium’s upconversion at 980 nm, concurrent with water’s absorption within the first biological window. Thus, methods to produce robust upconverting nanoplatforms that can be efficiently excited with other than 980 nm NIR sources, such as 808 nm and 1064 nm, are required for biomedical applications. RESULTS: Herein, we report a synthetic method to produce aqueous stable upconverting nanoparticles that can be activated with 808 nm excitation sources, thus avoiding unwanted heating processes due to water absorbance at 980 nm. Importantly, these nanoparticles, once transferred to an aqueous environment using an amphiphilic polymer, remain colloidally stable for long periods of time in relevant biological media, while keeping their photoluminescence properties. The selected polymer was covalently modified by click chemistry with two FDA-approved photosensitizers (Rose Bengal and Chlorin e6), which can be efficiently and simultaneously excited by the light emission of our upconverting nanoparticles. Thus, our polymer-functionalization strategy allows producing an 808 nm-activable photodynamic nanoplatform. These upconverting nanocomposites are preferentially stored in acidic lysosomal compartments, which does not negatively affect their performance as photodynamic agents. Upon 808 nm excitation, the production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) and their effect in mitochondrial integrity were demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we have demonstrated the feasibility of using photosensitizer-polymer-modified upconverting nanoplatforms that can be activated by 808 nm light excitation sources for application in photodynamic therapy. Our nanoplatforms remain photoactive after internalization by living cells, allowing for 808 nm-activated ROS generation. The versatility of our polymer-stabilization strategy promises a straightforward access to other derivatizations (for instance, by integrating other photosensitizers or homing ligands), which could synergistically operate as multifunctional photodynamic platforms nanoreactors for in vivo applications.