Gram-scale fabrication of Bi@C nanoparticles through one-step hydrothermal method for dual-model imaging-guided NIR-II photothermal therapy

Nanoscale. 2019 May 28;11(20):9906-9911. doi: 10.1039/c9nr01557d. Epub 2019 May 15.

Abstract

At present, increasing attention is being paid to photothermal therapy corresponding to the second near infrared (NIR-II) range (1000-1700 nanometers); however, its biomedical applications related to carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) have always been limited by the large-scale fabrication of excellent diagnostic probes with a suitable size and optical absorption cross-section. Herein, we successfully prepared Bi@C nanoparticles with a suitable size and high output (3.14 g per patch) through a one-pot hydrothermal method. By combining Bi with carbon, the optical absorption in the NIR-II range was enhanced compared to that for single carbon; moreover, Bi@C could no longer be easily oxidized due to the protection of outer C compared with individual Bi. Furthermore, because of the high atomic number of Bi (Z = 83), the Bi@C nanoparticles exhibited computed imaging contrast properties. According to the in vitro and in vivo experiments, the Bi@C nanoparticles could ablate cancer cells under illumination with a 1064 nm laser with deeper penetration and an appropriate permissible exposure (MPE) to the laser (1 W cm-2), showing excellent performance for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. This study provides a simple method to synthesize metal-carbon nanocomposites to enhance the NIR-II optical absorption efficiency for effective deep-seated tumor photothermal therapy and will further broaden the applications of CNMs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bismuth / chemistry*
  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / radiation effects
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Hypothermia, Induced / methods
  • Infrared Rays
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / toxicity
  • Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Phototherapy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Carbon
  • Bismuth