Sensibilization of fullerene C60 immobilized at silica nanoparticles for cancer photodynamic therapy

The supramolecular composites containing fullerenes immobilized at nanosilica were used for the design of the molecular systems that can be effective agents in cancer photodynamic therapy. To strengthen the property of fullerene to generate active forms of oxygen (AFO) to destruct transformed cells, composites were modified by photosensitive organic molecules. Proposed systems were studied by TEM and photoluminescence. Luminescence spectra of fullerene containing molecular systems were measured at room temperature with excitation at 476.5 and 514.5 nm. It is shown that studied systems are perspectives as fluorescent probes and as active species for photodynamic therapy (PDT) applications. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.