TB@PLGA Nanoparticles for Photodynamic/Photothermal Combined Cancer Therapy with Single Near-Infrared Irradiation

Yue Yang,1,* Taya Tang,1,* Bo Liu,1 Jijing Tian,1 Haiyan Wu,1 Zhongjie Liu,1 Zhaoping Liu,2 Lei Zhang,2 Huihui Bao,2 Tianlong Liu1 1Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology and Nanopathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tianlong LiuLaboratory of Veterinary Pathology and Nanopathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, No. 2 West Road Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, 100193, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 010 62732843Email liutianlong@cau.edu.cnHuihui BaoChina National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, No. 37, Guangqu Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100022, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 010 52165564Fax +86 010 52165561Email baohuihui@cfsa.net.cnBackground: Phototherapy has significant potential as an effective treatment for cancer. However, the application of a multifunctional nanoplatform for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) at a single excitation wavelength remains a challenge.Materials and Methods: The double emulsion solvent evaporation method was used to prepare toluidine blue@poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (TB@PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs). The biocompatibility of TB@PLGA NPs was evaluated, and a 660 nm luminescence was used as the light source. The photothermal effect, photothermal stability, and singlet oxygen yield of NPs in an aqueous solution verified the feasibility of NPs as a PTT/PDT synergistic therapy drug.Results: TB@PLGA NPs were successfully prepared and characterized. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TB@PLGA NPs can cause massive necrosis of tumor cells and induce apoptosis through a photodynamic mechanism under 660 nm laser irradiation. The TB@PLGA NPs also achieved optimal tumor inhibition effect in vivo.Conclusion: The TB@PLGA NPs prepared in this study were applied as a dual-mode phototherapeutic agent under single laser irradiation. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the good potential of PTT/PDT for tumor inhibitors.Keywords: toluidine blue, single irradiation, antitumor, 660 nm, phototherapy