Facile Fabrication of Near-Infrared-Responsive and Chitosan-Functionalized Cu2Se Nanoparticles for Cancer Photothermal Therapy

Photothermal therapy has attracted much interest for use in cancer treatment in recent years. In this study, Cu2Se nanoparticles as a novel photothermal agent modified by chitosan (CS-Cu(2)SeNPs) were successfully synthesized through a facile route at room temperature. The as-synthesized CS-Cu(2)SeNPs exhibited good water solubility and significant stability. CS-Cu(2)SeNPs can efficiently convert near-infrared (NIR) light into heat and exhibit excellent thermostability. In vitro experiments showed that CS-Cu(2)SeNPs had selective cellular uptake between cancer and normal cells and expressed clear anticancer activity on A375 and HeLa human cancer cells. In addition, the anticancer activity was increased to about 400% by combination with a laser at 808nm, which acted through induction of apoptosis with the involvement of intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. CS-Cu(2)SeNPs irradiated with a laser effectively triggered the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction that promoted cell apoptosis. Therefore, the developed CS-Cu(2)SeNPs could be used as a novel phototherapeutic agent for the photothermal therapy of human cancers.