| Abstract [eng] |
Recently, there has been a lot of efforts devoted for material research, which could be used for both cancer diagnosis and treatment. The field of such research is known as cancer theranostics. One of the main directions of cancer theranostics is the combination of optical biopsy methods and photodynamic tumour therapy. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential application of biocompatible gold nanoclusters and functionalized rare earth metal nanomaterials in cancer theranostics. By using model cell systems in vitro, it was investigated whether the nanoparticles can be used as photoluminescent markers and photoactive medicines. Research has shown that gold nanoclusters stabilized by blood serum proteins accumulate in cancer cells and, under visible light irradiation, generate reactive oxygen species that cause death of cancer cells. Upon irradiation with infrared radiation, which enters the tissue transparency window, photosensitizer-functionalized rare earth metal nanoparticles in cell monolayers and spheroids generate singlet oxygen, which induces cell death. However, the penetration of nanoparticles into three-dimensional cell spheroids is limited. Mesenchymal stem cells can be used as a nanoparticle carrier – they accumulate photosensitizer-functionalized rare earth metal nanoparticles and ensure their transfer in a tumour model – 3D cellular spheroids. |
