Photothermal therapy mediated by gold nanoparticles: from model systems of biomembranes toward in vitro culture of tumor cells

• Grant number: 18/14692-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Osvaldo Novais de Oliveira Junior
• Grantee: Sabrina Aléssio Camacho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/22214-6 - Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/08054-9 - Controlling cellular uptake of gold shell-isolated nanoparticles with nanostraws-assisted injection: can subcellular localization impact photothermal efficiency?, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as photothermal agents has been causing a resurgence of photothermal therapy (PTT) against cancer. It is an efficient way to induce precise heating, causing little damage to the surrounding tissues, while destroying malignant and thermosensitive cells. It is known that increased local temperature can destabilize the cell membrane, triggering processes of cell death via apoptosis or necrosis. However, the mechanisms of interaction between AuNPs and phospholipids, as well as the effects of local heating on the physicochemical properties of the membrane, are still not well understood. In this project we aim at elucidating these molecular mechanisms of interaction and the effects generated by hyperthermia through systems that simulate biological membranes. More specifically, lipid Langmuir monolayers will be produced in the presence of AuNPs, and subsequently photoactivated at a suitable wavelength. The effects of hyperthermia will be characterized at the molecular level with in situ polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), in addition to the usual techniques with surface pressure measurements. The final goal will be to apply the knowledge acquired with the model systems to more complex biological systems, involving the in vitro culture of cells derived from carcinoma, thus contributing to the advancement of PTT.

Scientific publications

(12)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RUBIRA, RAFAEL J. G.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; CONSTANTINO, CARLOS J. L.; SANCHEZ-CORTES, SANTIAGO. Increasing the sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection for s-triazine pesticides by taking advantage of interactions with soil humic substances. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, v. 53, n. 1, OCT 2021. (18/14692-5, 20/05423-0, 18/04628-8, 16/09634-0, 18/22214-6)

ALMEIDA JR, ALEXANDRE M.; MOREIRA, LUCAS G.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; FERREIRA, FABIANA G.; CONCEICA, KATIA; TADA, DAYANE B.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Photochemical outcomes triggered by gold shell-isolated nanorods on bioinspired nanoarchitectonics for bacterial membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES, v. 1865, n. 8, p. 10-pg., 2023-08-25. (18/14692-5, 20/15854-9, 18/22214-6)

BISTAFFA, MARIA J.; KOBAL, MIRELLA B.; SOUZA, PRISCILA S. S.; TOLEDO, KARINA A.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Photo-Induced Necrosis on Oropharyngeal Carcinoma (HEp-2) Cells Mediated by the Xanthene Erythrosine. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, v. 20, n. 10, p. 6180-6190, OCT 2020. (13/14262-7, 16/20576-2, 18/14692-5, 18/16713-0)

CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; KOBAL, MIRELLA B.; MOREIRA, LUCAS G.; BISTAFFA, MARIA J.; ROQUE, THAMIRES C.; PAZIN, WALLANCE M.; TOLEDO, KARINA A.; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. The efficiency of photothermal action of gold shell-isolated nanoparticles against tumor cells depends on membrane interactions. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES, v. 211, MAR 2022. (18/14692-5, 18/16713-0, 20/12129-1, 20/15854-9, 14/11408-3, 17/03879-4, 18/22214-6)

FURINI, LEONARDO N.; COSTA, GABRIEL; LEOPOLDO CONSTANTINO, CARLOS JOSE; ALESSIO, PRISCILA. pH-responsive Ag@PAH nanoparticles applied in SERS. Materials Letters, v. 277, OCT 15 2020. (18/14692-5, 17/06534-8)

MOREIRA, LUCAS G.; ALMEIDA JR, ALEXANDRE M.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; ESTEVAO, BIANCA M.; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Chain Cleavage of Bioinspired Bacterial Membranes Photoinduced by Eosin Decyl Ester. Langmuir, v. 36, n. 32, p. 9578-9585, AUG 18 2020. (18/22214-6, 18/14692-5, 13/14262-7, 18/13021-0, 18/16713-0)

MOREIRA, LUCAS G.; ALMEIDA JR, ALEXANDRE M.; NIELD, TYLER; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Modulating photochemical reactions in Langmuir monolayers of Escherichia coli lipid extract with the binding mechanisms of eosin decyl ester and toluidine blue-O photosensitizers. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY, v. 218, MAY 2021. (20/15854-9, 18/16713-0, 18/22214-6, 18/14692-5)

KOBAL, M. B.; CAMACHO, S. A.; MOREIRA, L. G.; TOLEDO, K. A.; TADA, D. B.; AOKI, P. H. B.. Unveiling the mechanisms underlying photothermal efficiency of gold shell-isolated nanoparticles (AuSHINs) on ductal mammary carcinoma cells (BT-474). Biophysical Chemistry, v. 300, p. 9-pg., 2023-09-01. (18/14692-5, 18/16713-0, 21/14500-1, 20/15854-9, 14/11408-3, 18/22214-6, 22/02189-2, 17/03879-4)

BISTAFFA, MARIA J.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; PAZIN, WALLANCE M.; CONSTANTINO, CARLOS J. L.; OLIVEIRA, OSVALDO N., JR.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Immunoassay platform with surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering for detecting trace levels of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Talanta, v. 244, p. 9-pg., 2022-03-29. (17/03879-4, 18/16713-0, 18/22214-6, 20/12129-1, 18/14692-5)

BISTAFFA, MARIA J.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; MELO, CARLOS F. O. R.; CATHARINO, RODRIGO R.; TOLEDO, KARINA A.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Plasma membrane permeabilization to explain erythrosine B phototoxicity on in vitro breast cancer cell models. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY, v. 223, OCT 2021. (18/14692-5, 13/14262-7, 16/20576-2, 18/16713-0)

CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; KOBAL, MIRELLA B.; ALMEIDA JR, ALEXANDRE M.; TOLEDO, KARINA A.; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Molecular-level effects on cell membrane models to explain the phototoxicity of gold shell-isolated nanoparticles to cancer cells. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES, v. 194, p. 10-pg., 2020-10-01. (18/14692-5, 13/14262-7, 18/16713-0)

PEREIRA, LUCAS S. A.; CAMACHO, SABRINA A.; ALMEIDA, ALEXANDRE M.; GONCALVES, RENATO S.; CAETANO, WILKER; DEWOLF, CHRISTINE; AOKI, PEDRO H. B.. Mechanisms of hypericin incorporation to explain the photooxidation outcomes in phospholipid biomembrane models. Chemistry and Physics of Lipids, v. 244, p. 11-pg., 2022-02-23. (18/16713-0, 18/08077-6, 18/22214-6, 18/14692-5)