A multi-functional nanoplatform of Trastuzumab/β-Estradiol functionalized Rose Bengal- Barium Titanate nanoparticles for targeted photothermal/photodynamic cancer therapy

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2025.107610

Significant efforts focus on developing non-invasive, targeted cancer therapies, with photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) approaches showing strong potential. This study reports the synthesis of Rose Bengal–Barium Titanate nanoparticles (BTRB), coated with Polydopamine (PDA) and functionalized with Trastuzumab (TRZ) or β-Estradiol (EST), for PTT and PDT. BTRB@PDA nanoparticles were prepared by layer-by-layer assembly followed by PDA coating. Under 808 nm laser irradiation, BTRB@PDA nanoparticles caused the temperature to rise to 45 °C, leading to an ∼80 % reduction in MCF7 and SKBR3 cell viability. For PDT, the BT core converts a 1030 nm femtosecond (fs) laser into 515 nm light via second harmonic generation (SHG). This 515 nm emission activates the RB photosensitizer, leading to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), detected by the Diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) indicator and resulting in a 20 % reduction in cell viability. Targeting efficacy was demonstrated by higher uptake of EST- and TRZ-functionalized nanoparticles by MCF7 and SKBR3 cells, respectively, compared to healthy MCF12A cells. Excess ROS induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, and apoptosis. TRZ-functionalized nanoparticles also caused G1 phase arrest in SKBR3 cells, suppressing proliferation. These findings demonstrate that TRZ–EST functionalized BTRB@PDA nanoparticles present a promising multifunctional therapeutic platform with switchable modes for PTT and PDT cancer therapy, exploiting the photothermal properties of PDA and the photodynamic activity of Rose Bengal.