Variable Molecular Weight Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging and Photothermal Ablation
Santu Sarkar, Elizabeth G. Graham-Gurysh, Christopher M. MacNeill, Sneha S. Kelkar, Bryce McCarthy, Aaron M. Mohs, Nicole Levi‐Polyachenko
Abstract
Theranostic nanoplatforms integrating fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy have shown great potential in cancer research for tumor detection and image-guided treatment. Herein, a unique theranostic nanomaterial was formulated by combining two different molecular weight (MW) segments of poly[4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b′]-dithiophene-2,6-diyl-alt-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole-4,7-diyl] (PCPDTBSe). Integration of the oligomer and high-MW fragments of PCPDTBSe was achieved through the nanoprecipitation method to form theranostic variable molecular weight nanoparticles (VMWNPs). Oligomer emission in the NIR region was explored for near-infrared fluorescence imaging, and the photothermal response of high-MW PCPDTBSe was employed for breast cancer cell ablation. The oligomer showed a characteristic phenomenon of aggregation-induced red-shifted NIR emission upon nanoparticle formation. VMWNPs exhibited a large Stoke’s shift, excellent physiological stability, photostability, and constant heat generation through multiple cycles of laser irradiation. VMWNPs were utilized for the detection and laser-induced ablation of triple negative breast cancer cells. These results indicate that a theranostic nanomaterial can be composed from two different MW fractions of PCPDTBSe.