Biodegradable and Multifunctional Polymer Micro-Tubes for Targeting Photothermal Therapy

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Xin Wang¹  Guoping Yu¹  Xiyu Han²  Hua Zhang³  Jing Ren¹  Xia Wu¹ 

[1] Food Science College, Northeast Agricultural University, 59 GongBin Road, XiangFang District, Harbin 150030, China; E-Mails:;School of Clinical Medical, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China; E-Mail:;School of Food Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 HuangHe Road, NanGang District, Harbin 150090, China; E-Mail:

关键词: micro-tube;    soybean protein isolate;    magnetic manipulation;    photothermal therapy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms150711730

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

We describe an innovative form of polymer micro-tubes with diverse functions including biodegradation, magnetic manipulation, and photothermal effect that employs and activates photothermal therapy to target cancer cells. The micro-tube comprised soybean protein isolate, poly-l-glutamic acid, magnetite nanoparticles, plus gold nanoparticles. Through electrostatic force, these components, with opposite charges, formed pairs of layers in the pores of the template, various bilayers of soybean protein isolate and poly-l-glutamic acid served as the biodegradable building wall to each micro-tube. The layers of magnetite nanoparticle functionalized micro-tubes enabled the micro-tube manipulate to target the cancer cells by using an external magnetic field. The photo-thermal effect of the layer of gold nanoparticles on the outer surface of the micro-tubes, when under irradiation and when brought about by the near infrared radiation, elevated each sample’s temperature. In addition, and when under the exposure of the near infrared radiation, the elevated temperature of the suspension of the micro-tubes, likewise with a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL, and similarly with a power of 2 W and as well maintained for 10 min, elevated the temperature of the suspension beyond 42 °C. Such temperatures induced apoptosis of target cancer cells through the effect of photothermal therapy. The findings assert that structured micro-tubes have a promising application as a photothermal agent. From this assertion, the implications are that this multifunctional agent will significantly improve the methodology for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.