Development of Photoresponsive Mesoporous Apatite Nanoparticles for Innovating Therapeutics and Diagnostics of Microscopic Tumor at Super-early Stage

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04954
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Structural/Functional materials
• Research Institution: Nagaoka University of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Tagaya Motohiro 長岡技術科学大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (20621593)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ナノバイオ材料 / ナノバイオセラミックス / 無機／有機ハイブリッド / セラノティクス素材 / QCM-D / ナノバイオ接合界面 / ナノ空間設計 / 水酸アパタイト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The detection and therapy techniques of at super-early stage cancer cells by biocompatible marker nanomaterials are desired. In this study, biocompatible and luminescent photofunctional apatite nanoparticles with mesostructures were successfully prepared for the diagnosis and therapy at the cellular scales. As a result, the nucleation and growth of photofunctional species and apatite precursors occurred on supramolecular assembly to form the mesostructred apatite nanoparticles. The ligand molecules that can selectively react with cancer cells were immobilized on the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles exhibit nontoxicity and specifically and effectively bind to cancer cells to resultantly induce the intense photoluminescence. By the exposure to different energy light, the cancer cells completely disappeared, suggesting that the nanoparticles worked only on the cancer. Therefore, this study provided the novel concept of the non-invasive theranotics for cancer diseases.

Free Research Field

無機／有機ハイブリッド技術に基づくナノバイオセラミックスの合成と評価

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究はナノバイオ材料を基盤とした新学術領域を創成するものであり，細胞レベルでの超早期がんの診断・治療原理を革新し，診断・治療薬剤として実用するものである。具体的に，本研究の達成により，がん超早期診断・治療スキームにおいて，蛍光内視鏡による画像診断・光誘起抗がん剤治療・組織生検・手術時 (摘出部位イメージング) など「患者に負荷の無い非侵襲医療」を実現する薬剤となり，日本国のバイオ・医療分野の発展へ貢献するものとなる。