In vitro study of PLGA/PFH particles loaded with gold nanoparticles as theranostic agents for photoacoustic imaging and cancer therapy

Phase-change contrast agents have been developed for photoacoustic (PA) imaging and therapy. They consist of a perfluorohexane (PFH) liquid and silica-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in the core stabilized by a Poly Lactide-co-Glycolic acid (PLGA) polymer shell. PLGA is an approved biocompatible and biodegradable material for clinical applications. Silica-coated gold nanoparticles absorb visible and near-infrared wavelengths with excellent stability upon laser irradiation. In this study, PLGA/PFH particles loaded with GNPs were characterized using PA methods with a 375 MHz transducer. The vaporization was induced using a 532 nm pulsed laser. The cytotoxicity of these particles prior to vaporization was examined in cell culture, and the mechanical damage to the cancer cells by the vaporization of particles internalized in cells was investigated.