Drug Release System Controlled by Near Infrared Light

Gold nanorods have absorption bands in the near-infrared region; in this spectral range, light penetrates deeply into tissues. The absorbed light energy is converted into heat by gold nanorods. This is the so-called photothermal effect. Gold nanorods are therefore expected to act not only as thermal converters for photothermal therapy, but also as controllers for drug-release systems responding to irradiation with near-infrared light. To achieve a controlled-release system that could be triggered by light irradiation, the gold nanorods were modified with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). When the dsDNA-modified gold nanorods were irradiated with near-infrared light, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was released from the gold nanorods because of the photothermal effect. The release of ssDNA was also observed in tumors grown on mice after near-infrared light irradiation. We also proposed a different controlled-release system responding to near-infrared light. Gold nanorods were modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) through Diels-Alder cycloadducts. When the gold nanorods were irradiated with near-infrared light, the PEG chains were released from the gold nanorods because of the retro Diels-Alder reaction induced by the photothermal effect. Such controlled-release systems triggered by near-infrared light irradiation will be expanded for gold nanorod drug delivery system applications.