Fluorescent Nanothermometers Provide Controlled Plasmonic-Mediated Intracellular Hyperthermia

Abstract

Aim: This article demonstrates how controlled hyperthermia at the cellular level can be achieved. Materials & methods: The method is based on the simultaneous intracellular incorporation of fluorescence nanothermometers (CdSe quantum dots) and metallic nanoheaters (gold nanorods). Results: Real-time spectral analysis of the quantum dot emission provides a detailed feedback about the intracellular thermal loading caused by gold nanorods excited at the plasmon frequency. Based on this approach, thermal dosimetry is assessed in such a way that the infrared laser (heating) power required to achieve catastrophic intracellular temperature increments in cancer cells is identified. Conclusions: This pure optical method emerges as a new and promising guide for the development of infrared hyperthermia therapies with minimal invasiveness.

Original submitted 6 March 2012; Revised submitted 3 July 2012; Published online 2 December 2012

Keywords::

• cancer therapy
• hyperthermia
• laser thermal effect
• metallic nanoheaters
• nanothermometers

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Projects CCG087-UAM/MAT-4434 and S2009/MAT- 1756), by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MAT2010-16161 and MAT2010-21270-C04-02), Malta Consolider-Ingenio 2010 (CSD2007-0045), FPI grant by Agencia Canaria de Investigación del Gobierno de Canarias and by the Caja Madrid Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Projects CCG087-UAM/MAT-4434 and S2009/MAT- 1756), by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MAT2010-16161 and MAT2010-21270-C04-02), Malta Consolider-Ingenio 2010 (CSD2007-0045), FPI grant by Agencia Canaria de Investigación del Gobierno de Canarias and by the Caja Madrid Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.