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New system for nanotheranostics

12.07.2019

Scientists from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Geneva (Switzerland) have developed a new nanotheranostic system that uses "harmonic nanoparticles" - a family of metal oxide nanocrystals with unique optical properties: they respond to excitation not only from ultraviolet, but also from infrared light which is much safer for the patient.

Theranostics is a developing field of medicine, the name of which contains the words "therapy" and "diagnosis". The idea of theranostics is to create drugs and treatments that are simultaneously used for early diagnosis of the disease, and for treatment, and for monitoring the patient's response. This saves time and money, and may bypass some of the unwanted biological effects that can occur when these strategies are used alone.

Today, nanoparticles are increasingly used in theranostics, which combine diagnostic molecules and drugs into a single agent. The nanoparticles act as carriers for a molecular "cargo" such as a drug or a radioisotope for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. This "transport" is directed to specific biological pathways in the patient's body and can avoid damage to healthy tissue.

Once in the target tissue, the nanoparticles either help make diagnostic images or deliver their payload (or both). Specialists control them with the help of light. It is an advanced "nanotheranostics" technology that has become a mainstream of research. Although it has numerous limitations, there are disadvantages that must be overcome.

A new system developed by the Gerber group avoids these problems by using bismuth-ferrite "harmonic nanoparticles" based on silicon oxide, which carry light-sensitive molecular weights. These systems can be easily activated with near infrared light (790 nanometers) and imaged at longer wavelength for drug discovery and isolation processes. Both of these features make the system safe for patients.

Once the light is triggered, the nanoparticles release their cargo - in this case, L-tryptophan, which the researchers used as a model. The scientists monitored and quantified the release of the "cargo" using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

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