Breakthroughs in medicine and bioimaging with up-conversion nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanomedicine is a medical application of biochemistry incorporated with materials chemistry at the scale of nanometer for the purpose of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. New models and approaches are typically associated with nanomedicine for precise multifunctional diagnostic systems at molecular level. Hence, employing nanoparticles (NPs) has unveiled new opportunities for efficient therapies and remedy of difficult-to-cure diseases. Among all types of inorganic NPs, lanthanide-doped up-conversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have shown excellent potential for biomedical applications, especially for multimodal bioimaging including fluorescence and electron microscopy. Association of these visualization techniques plus the capability for transporting biomaterials and drugs make them superior agents in the field of nanomedicine. Accordingly, in this review, we firstly presented a fundamental understanding of physical and optical properties of UCNPs and secondly, we illustrated some of the prominent associations with bioimaging, theranostics, cancer therapy, and optogenetics.

Keywords:

• up-conversion nanoparticles
• bioimaging
• theranostics
• therapy

Acknowledgment

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 701647.

Abbreviations

UCNPs, up-conversion nanoparticles; FDA, US Food and Drug Administration; NPs, nanoparticles; EPR, enhanced permeability and retention; QDs, quantum dots; PEG, polyethylene glycol; NIR, infrared; UV, ultraviolet; UCL, up-conversion luminescence; ESA, state absorption; ETU, up-conversion by energy transfer; TPA, two-photon absorption; CSU, cooperative sensitization up-conversion; CR, cross-relaxation; PA, photon avalanche; EMU, energy migration-mediated up-conversion; QY, quantum yield; OM, oleylamine; OA, oleic acid; ODE, 1-octadecence; TEM, transmission electron microscopy; XRD, X-ray diffraction; EDTA, ethylene diamine tetra acetate; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; CT, computed tomography; PET, positron emission tomography; FRET, fluorescence resonance energy transfer; GFP, green protein fluorescence; PDT, photodynamic therapy; CCPEB, cationic conjugated polyelectrolyte brush; PDA, polydopamine; ICG, indocyanine green; PTT, photothermal therapy; VTA, ventral tegmentum area; FSCV fast-scan cyclic voltammetry; Y, yttrium; Yb, ytterbium; Er, erbium; Tm, thulium; Gd, galadinium.

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.