Multimodal polymer encapsulated CdSe/FeO nanoplatform with improved biocompatibility for two-photon and temperature stimulated bioapplications.

Multimodal polymer encapsulated CdSe/FeO nanoplatforms with dual optical and magnetic properties have been fabricated. We demonstrate that CdSe/FeO nanocapsules (NCs) upon excitation with UV radiation or NIR fs-laser excitation exhibit intense one- or two-photon emission at 535 nm, whereas the combination of an alternating magnetic field and 808 nm IR laser excitation results in heat generation. Since anticancer therapies require relatively high doses of FeO nanoparticles (NPs) to induce biologically relevant temperature jumps, the therapeutic effects of 0.1 and 1 mg/mL FeO NCs and CdSe/FeO NCs were investigated using breast cancer cell lines, ER-positive MCF-7, and triple-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. Improved biocompatibility of CdSe/FeO NCs compared to FeO NCs was revealed at higher NCs concentration suggesting safe potential medical applications of CdSe/FeO NCs. In contrast, 1 mg/mL FeO NCs were found to be more cytotoxic to MDA-MB-231 than MCF-7 cells through iron-induced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and concomitant ferroptotic cell death. We believe that FeO NCs-mediated cellular response may be heterogeneous that reflects, at least in part, cancer cell genotype, molecular phenotype, and pathological classification.