A Novel Theranostic Nanomedicine: Bio-conjugated Mesoporous Carbon@Silicon-Silica Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery of Insoluble Drug and Synchronous Upconversion Luminescence Imaging

摘要

A novel theranostic hierarchical nanostructure with carbon nanorods encapsulated in the mesopores and Si nanocrystals embedded within the wall of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MCSSNs) have been successfully constructed by a bottom-up self-assembly strategy combining with an in situ carbonization/crystallization strategy. The bio-conjugated MCSSNs can target special cancer cells selectively, deliver high payload of insoluble drugs into these cells and consequently kill them effectively, and also fluorescently image them simultaneously in a unique NIR-to-Vis upconversion luminescence (UCL) imaging fashion, providing a unique opportunity for cancer theranostics.