Carbon nanotubes as multifunctional biological transporters and near-infrared agents for selective cancer cell destruction

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that single-walled carbon nanotubes can serve as multifunctional agents for targeted drug delivery and selective cancer cell destruction using near-infrared light, leveraging their optical properties and functionalization.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of SWNTs as biological transporters and NIR agents for cancer therapy, combining their transport capabilities with selective photothermal destruction.

Findings

SWNTs can translocate oligonucleotides into cell nuclei.

NIR radiation causes localized heating leading to cell death.

Folate-functionalized SWNTs enable selective cancer cell targeting.

Abstract

Biological systems are known to be highly transparent to 700-1100nm near-infrared (NIR) light. It is shown here that the strong optical absorbance of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in this special spectral window, an intrinsic property of SWNTs, can be utilized for optical stimulation of nanotubes inside living cells to afford multifunctional nanotube biological transporters. For oligonucleotides transported inside living cells by nanotubes, the oligos can translocate into cell nucleus upon endosomal rupture triggered by NIR laser pulses. Continuous NIR radiation can cause cell death due to excessive local heating of SWNT in vitro. Selective cancer cell destruction can be achieved via functionalization of SWNT with a folate moiety, selective internalization of SWNTs inside cells labeled with folate receptor tumor-markers and NIR triggered cell death, without harming receptor-free normal cells. Thus, the transporting capabilities of carbon nanotubes combined with suitable functionalization chemistry and their intrinsic optical properties can lead to new classes of novel nanomaterials for drug delivery and cancer therapy.