Cancer therapy improvement with mesoporous silica nanoparticles combining targeting, drug delivery and PDT.

The synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) covalently encapsulating fluoresceine or a photosensitizer, functionalized with galactose on the surface is described. Confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that the uptake of galactose-functionalized MSN by colorectal cancer cells was mediated by galactose receptors leading to the accumulation of the nanoparticles in the endosomal and lysosomal compartments. The MSN functionalized with a photosensitizer and galactose were loaded with the anti-cancer drug camptothecin. Those MSN combining drug delivery and photodynamic therapy were tested on three cancer cell lines and showed a dramatic enhancement of cancer cell death compared to separate treatments.