A Near-Infrared Photo-Switched MicroRNA Amplifier for Precise Photodynamic Therapy of Early-Stage Cancers

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2020 Nov 23;59(48):21454-21459. doi: 10.1002/anie.202009263. Epub 2020 Sep 18.

Abstract

Stimuli-responsive photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a hot topic in precise medicine, but the low abundance of responsive trigger molecules in early-stage disease limits application. Here we designed an amplifier with multiple upconversion luminances to achieve a near-infrared photo-switched cascade reaction triggered by specific microRNA and precise PDT of early-stage cancers. This amplifier was composed of photo-caged DNA nanocombs and an upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) sensitized with IRDye 800CW. The nanocomb was prepared by assembling a photozipper-protected hairpin and two kinds of hybridizable hairpin probes on a DNA skeleton. Upon 808-nm light irradiation, the produced UV light cleaved off the photozipper to induce microRNA-responsive cascade hybridization reaction, activating the photosensitizers linked to different hairpins to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under the simultaneously emitted blue light for efficient PDT.

Keywords: microRNA amplifiers; photocleavage; photodynamic therapy; upconversion nanoparticles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Infrared Rays
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • MicroRNAs / chemistry*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / metabolism
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Photochemotherapy*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / metabolism
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Precision Medicine
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • MicroRNAs
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Reactive Oxygen Species