Issue 2, 2018

Monitoring the release of a NO photodonor from polymer nanoparticles via Förster resonance energy transfer and two-photon fluorescence imaging

Abstract

Core–shell polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) made of either di-block or tri-block poly-ε-caprolactone and polyethylene glycol copolymers, covalently integrating Rhodamine B in the core or the shell have been prepared and a green fluorescent NO photodonor entrapped therein. One- and two-photon fluorescence experiments demonstrate that effective Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) occurs exclusively in the di-block NPs having the Rhodamine in the core, accounting for a localization of the NO photoreleaser in the inner part of the polymeric nanocarrier. These di-block NPs are stable in the presence of human serum albumin and their cargo release NO under exclusive excitation with visible light. Two-photon imaging experiments carried out using 900 nm NIR light, demonstrate that the release of the NO photodonor can be monitored in biological tissue, herein human skin, and provide insights into the integrity and penetration depth of the NPs. Toxicity experiments performed on NCTC keratinocyte cell lines in the dark and upon visible light irradiation show good biocompatibility of the polymeric system that therefore has a great potential in light of the multifaceted therapeutic role of NO.

Graphical abstract: Monitoring the release of a NO photodonor from polymer nanoparticles via Förster resonance energy transfer and two-photon fluorescence imaging

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
23 okt 2017
Accepted
03 dec 2017
First published
04 dec 2017

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2018,6, 249-256

Monitoring the release of a NO photodonor from polymer nanoparticles via Förster resonance energy transfer and two-photon fluorescence imaging

C. Conte, A. Fraix, H. Thomsen, F. Ungaro, V. Cardile, A. C. E. Graziano, M. B. Ericson, F. Quaglia and S. Sortino, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2018, 6, 249 DOI: 10.1039/C7TB02781H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements