• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.67
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• pp.429-436
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• 2018

Targeted intracellular delivery of therapeutic agents is one of the great challenges for cancer treatment. Aptamers that bind to a variety of biological targets have emerged as new targeting moieties with high specificity for targeted cancer therapy. In this study, near-infrared (NIR) light-absorbing hollow gold nanocages (AuNCs) were synthesized and conjugated with AS1411 aptamer to achieve cancer-targeted photothermal therapy. AuNC functionalized with PEG and AS1411 (AS1411-PEG-AuNC) exhibited selective cellular uptake in breast cancer cells due to selective binding of AS1411 to nucleolin, a protein that is over-expressed in cancer cells over normal cells. As a result, AS1411-PEG-AuNC showed cancer-targeted photothermal activity. This study demonstrates that aptamer-conjugated AuNCs are effective tumor-targeting photothermal agents.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.554-561
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• 2021

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a cyanine dye that has been used in medical diagnostics based on fluorescence imaging, and in medical therapy based on the photothermal effect. It is important to systematically understand the photothermal effect and fluorescence characteristics of ICG simultaneously. By varying a number of conditions such as laser power density, laser irradiation wavelength, concentration of ICG solution, and exposure time of laser irradiation, the intensity properties of fluorescence and the temperature change induced by the photothermal effect are measured simultaneously using a charge-coupled-device camera and a thermal-imaging camera. The optimal conditions for maximizing the photothermal effect are determined, while maintaining a relatively long lifetime and high efficiency of the fluorescence for fluorescence imaging. When the concentration of ICG is approximately 50 ㎍/ml and the laser power density exceeds 1.5 W/cm², the fluorescence lifetime is the longest and the temperature induced by the photothermal effect rapidly increases, exceeding the critical temperature sufficient to damage human cells and tissues. The findings provide useful insight into the realization of effective photothermal therapy, while also specifying the site to be treated and enabling real-time treatment monitoring.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.48-53
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• 2014

We have formulated hexagonal-shaped gold nanoplates in a single-step for photothermal therapy that gold ions to gold particles using pyrenyl dextran as reducible stabilizer and template. They exhibit anisotropic structure with broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band into near-infrared (NIR) spectrum enabling photothermal therapy. These gold nanoplates are also confirmed biocompatibility and high uptake efficiency due to binding with dextran molecules on the surface of gold nanoplates and cells. From in vitro phtothermal ablation study under NIR laser, gold nanoplates have the potential to use as photothermal agents.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.312-319
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• 2021

Photothermal therapy is a treatment that necrotizes selectively the abnormal cells, in particular cancer cells, which are more vulnerable to heat than normal cells, using the heat generated when irradiating light. In this study, we synthesized a reduced graphene oxide with carboxyl groups (CRGO)-gold nanorod (AuNR) nanocomposite for photothermal treatment. Graphene oxide (GO) was selectively reduced and exfoliated at high temperature to synthesize CRGO, and the length of AuNR was adjusted according to the amount of AgNO₃, to synthesize AuNR with a strong absorption peak at 880 nm, as an ideal photothermal agent. It was determined through FT-IR, thermogravimetric and fluorescence analyses that more carboxyl groups were conjugated with CRGO over RGO. In addition, CRGO exhibited excellent stability in aqueous solutions compared to RGO due to the presence of carboxylic acid. The CRGO-AuNR nanocomposites fabricated by electrostatic interaction have an average size of ~317 nm with a narrow size distribution. It was confirmed that under radiation with a near-infrared 880 nm laser which has an excellent tissue transmittance, the photothermal effect of CRGO-AuNR nanocomposites was greater than that of AuNR due to the synergistic effect of the two photothermal agents, CRGO and AuNR. Furthermore, the results of cancer cell toxicity by photothermal effect revealed that CRGO-AuNR nanocomposites showed superb cytotoxic properties. Therefore, the CRGO-AuNR nanocomposites are expected to be applied to the field of anticancer photothermal therapy based on their stable dispersibility and improved photothermal effect.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.383-396
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• 2017

The photothermal therapy is a method of cell ablation using the heat converted from the incident light by photothermal transducers. It offers a selective treatment to desired abnormal cells, in particular, tumor tissues. Among various photothermal agents, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have received enormous attention due to their unique physicochemical property over last two decades. In this review, we address research strategies and methods to improve treatment efficacy by organizing recent research works. We mainly focus on research works to enhance light-to-heat conversion via optimizing the morphology of Au NPs and related assemblies as well as the strategies to deliver Au NPs efficiently to specific targets. We also introduce convergence research efforts to combine Au NP-mediated photothermal treatment and other functions such as diagnostic capabilities and other therapeutic methods.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.97-100
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• 2019

Facial pores are a visible topographic feature of skin surfaces and are generally the enlarged openings of pilosebaceous follicles. Enlarged facial pores can be a significant cosmetic problem, particularly for women. Recently, gold nanoshell-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) has been reported to be effective in treating recurrent acne. The treatment of enlarged facial pores with gold nanoshell-mediated PTT produced excellent results with no side effects. The two cases reported here demonstrate the possibility of gold nanoshell-mediated PTT as a safe and effective treatment for enlarged facial pores.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.599-605
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• 2016

Recently, photodynamic and photothermal therapies have received increasing attention as an effective cancer treatment. In this study, a gold nanorod (AuNR) colloidal solution was synthesized as a hyperthermia agent for photothermal therapy and also modified with photosensitizer (PS) for photodynamic therapy. PEG (polyethylene glycol) and FA (folic acid) ligand were also introduced into AuNR for the long circulation in human body and efficient targeting of cancer cells, respectively and AuNRs were modified with FA-PEG and poly-${\beta}$-benzyl-L-aspartate (PBLA) block copolymers through a 3,4-dihydroxy hydrocinnamic acid (HCA) linker. A series of AuNRs with various aspect ratios were synthesized by controlling the feeding ratio of $AgNO_3$. The physicochemical property and morphology of synthesized AuNR100 and FA-PEG-$P(Asp)_{50}$-HCA-AuNR100 were analyzed by UV-visible spectrophotometer, $^1H$ NMR, XPS measurements, TEM. The surface modified AuNR carrier with biocompatibility could be applied for the effective diagnosis as well tumor phototherapy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2795-2799
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• 2013

Irradiation of gold nanorods (GNRs) with laser light corresponding to the longitudinal surface plasmon oscillation results in rapid conversion of electromagnetic energy into heat, a phenomenon commonly known as the photothermal effect of GNRs. Herein, we propose a facile strategy for increasing the photothermal conversion efficiency of GNRs by integration to form graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites. Moreover, conjugation of iron oxide (IO) with the GO-GNR nanohybrid allowed magnetic enrichment at a specific target site and the separated GO-IO-GNR assembly was rapidly heated by laser irradiation. The present GO-IO-GNR nanocomposites hold great promise for application in various biomedical fields, including surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy imaging, photoacoustic tomography imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and photothermal cancer therapy.

• Proceedings of the Optical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.02a
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• pp.361-362
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• 2006

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.311-321
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• 2021

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a dye approved for use in clinical diagnostics. ICG remains in the intravascular space following intravenous administration, due to its ability to rapidly bind to the plasma proteins, and its therapeutic potential has been studied in well-vascularized cutaneous tumors. Here we have evaluated the clinical response of a subconjunctival tumor to photothermal therapy (PTT) using an ICG-enhanced near-infrared diode laser and its adverse effects, in a rabbit. 22 male New Zealand white rabbits with subconjunctival tumors were enrolled (control group 6, laser-only group 8, laser-with-ICG group 8). Rabbits in the laser-with-ICG group received ICG (twice, 2 mg/kg each time, intravenously) directly followed by irradiation with a diode laser (λ = 810 nm). Rabbits in the laser-only group were irradiated with the diode laser. ICG angiography, ultrasonography, and pathologic examination were performed to evaluate PTT response at specific time points (0, 2, and 4 weeks after PTT). Two weeks after initial treatment, the eight rabbits treated by laser with ICG showed a 100% response rate. There was no clinical response in both laser-only and control groups. ICG-PTT is a potential and effective palliative therapeutic modality for subconjunctival tumors.