Triggered vaporization of gold nanodroplets for enhanced photothermal therapy

Acoustic droplet vaporization has been proposed for sonoporation. In this study, we hypothesize that, by using gold nanodroplets (AuNDs), vaporization can be triggered with external application of laser irradiation. In addition, the vaporization assisted sonoporation can enhance delivery of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into the cells, thus potentially enhancing effects of plasmonic photothermal therapy. To test our hypothesis, in vitro studies were conducted. The delivery efficiency of AuNDs was also compared to that of AuNPs encapsulated in ultrasound microbubbles (AuMBs). The inertial cavitation dose (ICD), and optical density (OD) value of AuNPs were all measured under the applications of ultrasound only, laser only, and both ultrasound and laser. Results show that the cavitational effects and microbubble destruction were the highest with both ultrasound and laser being applied. In addition, destruction ratio of AuNDs was around 43%, compared to 35% microbubble destruction of AuMBs. Likewise, the OD value of AuNDs is 1.3 times higher than that of AuMBs under the same conditions, indicating that cavitation resulting from microbubble descturction did have the capability to assist the delivery of AuNPs into the cells. After the delivery, laser heating resulted in cell death. The cell viability with AuNDs was 45% left in the in vitro studies. Synergistic effects were also evident when combing laser with ultrasound.