Study of rhenium sulfide nanoparticles in spectral CT imaging and photothermal therapy

doi:10.11958/20230209

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the spectral CT imaging performance of Rhenium sulfide (ReS₂) nanoparticles and their effect on photothermal therapy in breast cancer cells. Methods ReS₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by one-pot method at room temperature. The basic materialistic properties of ReS₂ nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and UV absorption spectroscopy. The spectral CT imaging capability of ReS₂ nanoparticles with the same molar concentration of iodine at different energies (60-140 keV) was compared. The photothermal conversion ability of nanoparticles was evaluated by measuring the in vitro photothermal warming of aqueous solutions of ReS₂ nanoparticles with different mass concentrations (0、20、40、80 and 100 mg/L). Mouse breast cancer cells 4T1 were co-incubated with different mass concentrations of ReS₂ nanoparticle aqueous solution (0, 20, 40, 80 and 100 mg/L). The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was evaluated by MTT experiment and cell photothermal killing experiment. The photothermal cell killing effect of ReS₂ nanoparticles was visually observed and analyzed by cytofluorescent staining. Results High-resolution transmission electron microscopy observed that the particle size of the prepared nanoparticles was less than 10 nm. The UV absorption spectrum confirmed the strong absorption of ReS₂ at 808 nm. When the energy was in the range of 60-140 keV, the CT imaging effect of ReS₂ nanoparticles at equivalent molar concentration was significantly better than that of iohexol solution. The temperature of 500 mg/L ReS₂ solution could be increased by 44.90 °C ± 1.2 °C under 808 nm laser irradiation with a power density of 3 W/cm², while the temperature of pure water was only increased by 9.27 °C ± 0.74 °C under the same conditions. Cellular experiments showed that in the absence of laser irradiation, the survival rate of 4T1 cells treated with ReS₂ nanoparticles at concentrations of 40-100 mg/L were all greater than 85%. The cell survival rate was also reduced at ReS₂ nanoparticle concentrations of 40-100 mg/L compared to the 0-40 mg/L case under laser irradiation, but the survival rate was already less than 30%. Conclusion ReS₂ nanoparticles are simple to prepare, have good biocompatibility and photothermal therapeutic properties, and have strong killing effect on breast cancer cells under NIR laser irradiation, which have good clinical translation potential.

Key words: contrast media, nanoparticles, CT imaging, rhenium sulfide, photothermal therapy

CLC Number:

R817.12

Figures/Tables 8

Fig.1 X-ray photoelectron spectra of ReS2 nanoparticles

Fig.2 High resolution transmission microscope image of ReS2 nanoparticles

Fig.3 The standard curve of absorbance at 808 nm versus ReS2 concentration

Fig.4 The monochromatic spectral CT images of ReS2 (35 mmol/L Re) and iohexol (35 mmol/L I) at different monochromatic energies

Fig.5 The HU values of ReS2 (35 mmol/L Re) and iohexol (35 mmol/L I) at different monochromatic energies

Fig.6 The infrared images of pure water and ReS2 nanoparticles with concentrations of 50, 100, 250, 500 mg/L under a laser irradiation.

Tab.1 Cell survival rate of non-laser irradiation group and laser irradiation group at different ReS2 concentrations

组别	ReS₂浓度					F
组别	0 mg/L	20 mg/L	40 mg/L	80 mg/L	100 mg/L	F
无激光照射组	97.73±3.67	95.23±4.12	87.29±3.28^A	89.45±2.54^A	86.63±1.37^A	4.951^＊
激光照射组	106.30±3.24	100.79±2.37	34.61±1.74^A	18.59±2.02^A	16.19±0.38^A	852.241^＊＊

Fig.7 Survival of 4T1 cells treated with ReS2 nanoparticles at different concentrations without laser and under laser irradiation

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