TaOx decorated perfluorocarbon nanodroplets as oxygen reservoirs to overcome tumor hypoxia and enhance cancer radiotherapy

Guosheng Song, Chenghong Ji, Chao Liang, Xuejiao Song, Xuan Yi, Ziliang Dong, Kai Yang, Zhuang Liu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

209 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cancer radiotherapy (RT) is a clinically used tumor treatment strategy applicable for a wide range of solid tumors. However, during RT treatment of tumors, only a small portion of applied ionizing irradiation energy is absorbed by the tumor, in which the largely hypoxic microenvironment also limits the anti-tumor efficacy of RT. In this work, we rationally fabricate polyethylene glycol (PEG) stabilized perfluorocarbon (PFC) nano-droplets decorated with TaOx nanoparticles (TaOx@PFC-PEG) as a multifunctional RT sensitizer. The obtained TaOx@PFC-PEG nanoparticles on one hand can absorb X-ray by TaOx to concentrate radiation energy within tumor cells, on the other hand after saturating PFC with oxygen will act as an oxygen reservoir to gradually release oxygen and improve tumor oxygenation. As the result, remarkably enhanced in vivo RT treatment is achieved with TaOx@PFC-PEG nanoparticles in our mouse tumor model experiments. Our work thus presents a new nanotechnology strategy to enhance RT-induced tumor treatment by simultaneously concentrating radiation energy within tumors and improving tumor oxygenation, using one multifunctional agent.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)257-263
Number of pages7
JournalBiomaterials
Volume112
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Oxygen reservoir
  • Perfluorocarbon
  • Radiotherapy
  • Tantalum oxide
  • Tumor hypoxia

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'TaOx decorated perfluorocarbon nanodroplets as oxygen reservoirs to overcome tumor hypoxia and enhance cancer radiotherapy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this