Issue 14, 2022

Short-wave and near infrared π-conjugated polymers hosted in a biocompatible microemulsion: a pioneering approach for photoacoustic contrast agents

Abstract

In the present study a biocompatible oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsion was developed carrying short-wave infrared (SWIR) π-conjugated polymers and possessing photoacoustic properties for the first time. SWIR and NIR absorbing conjugated polymers were accomplished to be dissolved in a Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved natural oil limonene, to formulate an O/W microemulsion using biocompatible surfactants (Span80, Labrasol®). Detailed structural characterization in the absence and presence of the polymers was performed by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. In terms of biological evaluation of the loaded microemulsions, inhibition of cell proliferation in various cancer cell lines without exhibiting significant cytotoxicity was tested through the MTT assay. The developed π-conjugated polymers hosted in O/W microemulsions represent a technological approach with a wide range of biomedical and bioelectronic applications and in this contribution, their photoacoustic properties are presented as a proof-of-concept.

Graphical abstract: Short-wave and near infrared π-conjugated polymers hosted in a biocompatible microemulsion: a pioneering approach for photoacoustic contrast agents

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Okt. 2021
Accepted
19 Dec. 2021
First published
26 Janv. 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2022,10, 2680-2690

Short-wave and near infrared π-conjugated polymers hosted in a biocompatible microemulsion: a pioneering approach for photoacoustic contrast agents

E. Mitsou, I. Theochari, E. Vassiliadi, F. Nallet and A. Xenakis, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2022, 10, 2680 DOI: 10.1039/D1TB02257A

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