Abstract
Disruption of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mitoROS) plays a major role in cancer cell apoptosis. Here, we designed a core/shell-structured mitochondria-targeting upconversion-based nano-photosensitizer (TPP-UC(PS)) with a lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) core coated by a photosensitizer (PS)-incorporated dense silica shell. Following irradiation with external near-infrared laser (NIR), TPP-UC(PS) in mitochondria caused serious mitochondrial matrix swelling for the activated upconversion-based photodynamic therapy (UC-PDT), and the mobilization of cytochrome c (cyt c) was amplified in response to the increased mitoROS. Specifically, this heme-containing cyt c could be monitored by varying TPP-UC(PS)’s upconversion luminescence signal (UCL), which may facilitate the in situ detection of cyt c for apoptosis research. As a proof of concept, our designed TPP-UC(PS) may provide significant opportunities for controlling cancer cell apoptosis under NIR stimulation and for studying apoptosis using the dynamic UCL, which is influenced by local cyt c.
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Upconversion nano-photosensitizer targeting into mitochondria for cancer apoptosis induction and cyt c fluorescence monitoring
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Liu, Y., Zhang, J., Zuo, C. et al. Upconversion nano-photosensitizer targeting into mitochondria for cancer apoptosis induction and cyt c fluorescence monitoring. Nano Res. 9, 3257–3266 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1204-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1204-9