Photothermal nanostructures in tumor therapy

Abstract

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for implementing a photothermal therapy using nanostructures. In one aspect, a device to produce a photothermal effect includes a particle having a molecular layer functionalized onto the external surface of the particle and structured to attach to one or more targeting molecules capable of binding to a receptor site of a cell, in which the particle is configured to absorb light energy at a particular wavelength to produce a plasmon resonance effect that causes the particle to emit heat energy. In some implementations, the device is deployed in an organism having a tumor that includes a plurality of the cell and binds to the receptor site of the tumor by the targeting molecules, in which the light energy is emitted at a region of the organism that contains the tumor and the heat energy causes cellular death of the tumor cell.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method for producing photothermal nanorods, comprising:
 fabricating nanorod structures, the nanorod structures configured to absorb light energy at a particular wavelength to produce a plasmon resonance effect that causes the particle to emit heat energy;   coating the nanorod structures with a biocompatible molecular layer, and   conjugating the biocompatible molecular layer-coated nanorod structures with a targeting ligand and an imaging agent to form functionalized photothermal nanorods, the conjugating including:
 determining a molar ratio of a cross-linking agent to the targeting ligand, 
 adding the targeting ligand at a particular amount to a linker solution containing the cross-linking agent to form a ligand cross-linker solution, the linker solution having a particular concentration of the cross-linking agent to comply with the determined molar ratio, 
 adding the imaging agent at a particular amount to the ligand cross-linker solution to form an imager ligand cross-linker solution, and 
 reacting the biocompatible molecular layer-coated nanorod structures with the imager ligand cross-linker solution. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the biocompatible molecular layer includes polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cross-linking agent includes long chain succinimidyl 6-(3[2-pyridyldithiol-propionamido) hexanoate (LC-SPDP) and the linker solution includes dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and
 wherein the particular concentration of the LC-SPDP in the linker solution is 20 mM.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of adding the targeting ligand to the linker solution includes incubating for about 1 hour at room temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio of the cross-linking agent to the targeting ligand is 300:1 or within fifty percent of 300:1. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the particular amount of the imaging agent added to the ligand cross-linker solution is in g from 2 μL to 20 IA. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of reacting includes incubating at room temperature for at least eight hours. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising removing reaction byproducts formed during the conjugating. 
     
     
         19 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the molar ratio of the cross-linking agent to the targeting ligand is from 100:1 to 3000:1. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the targeting ligand is a tumor-targeting antibody. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the biocompatible molecular layer comprises thiol-terminated methoxy-poly-ethylene glycol. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the imaging agent is NIR fluorescent dye.