Abstract
Background: In addition to their great optical properties, nanodiamonds (NDs) have recently proved useful for two-photon-excited photodynamic therapy (TPE-PDT) applications. Indeed, they are able to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) directly upon two-photon excitation but not with one-photon excitation; Methods: Fluorescent NDs (FNDs) with a 100 nm diameter and detonation NDs (DNDs) of 30 nm were compared. In order to use the gems for cancer-cell theranostics, they were encapsulated in a bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene-based (ENE) periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) shell, and the surface of the formed nanoparticles (NPs) was modified by the direct grafting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and amino groups using PEG-hexyltriethoxysilane and aminoundecyltriethoxysilane during the sol–gel process. The NPs’ phototoxicity and interaction with MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were evaluated afterwards; Results: Transmission electronic microscopy images showed the formation of core–shell NPs. Infrared spectra and zeta-potential measurements confirmed the grafting of PEG and NH2 groups. The encapsulation of the NDs allowed for the imaging of cancer cells with NDs and for the performance of TPE-PDT of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells with significant mortality. Conclusions: Multifunctional ND@PMO core–shell nanosystems were successfully prepared. The NPs demonstrated high biocompatibility and TPE-PDT efficiency in vitro in the cancer cell model. Such systems hold good potential for two-photon-excited PDT applications.