Hybrid Theranostic Platform for Second Near-IR Window Light Triggered Selective Two-Photon Imaging and Photothermal Killing of Targeted Melanoma Cells

Despite advances in the medical field, even in the 21st century cancer is one of the leading causes of death for men and women in the world. Since the second near-infrared (NIR) biological window light between 950 and 1350 nm offers highly efficient tissue penetration, the current article reports the development of hybrid theranostic platform using anti-GD2 antibody attached gold nanoparticle (GNP) conjugated, single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) for second near-IR light triggered selective imaging and efficient photothermal therapy of human melanoma cancer cell. Reported results demonstrate that due to strong plasmon-coupling, two-photon luminescence (TPL) intensity from theranostic GNP attached SWCNT materials is 6 orders of magnitude higher than GNP or SWCNT alone. Experimental and FDTD simulation data indicate that the huge enhancement of TPL intensity is mainly due to strong resonance enhancement coupled with the stronger electric field enhancement. Due to plasmon coupling, the theranostic material serves as a local nanoantennae to enhance the photothermal capability via strong optical energy absorption. Reported data show that theranostic SWCNT can be used for selective two-photon imaging of melanoma UACC903 cell using 1100 nm light. Photothermal killing experiment with 1.0 W/cm(2) 980 nm laser light demonstrates that 100% of melanoma UACC903 cells can be killed using theranostic SWCNT bind melanoma cells after just 8 min of exposure. These results demonstrate that due to plasmon coupling, the theranostic GNP attached SWCNT material serves as a two-photon imaging and photothermal source for cancer cells in biological window II.