Multimodal luminescent nanoparticles for thermometry and oxygen reactive species sensing

Abstract

Multimodal materials are systems that combine more than one functionality on the same platform. Such concept is highly attractive, since it allows for monitoring processes of interest by obtaining different information from a single experiment. This enables to perform more precise diagnoses and more accurate descriptions of intracellular processes, as well as the elaboration of new therapeutic approaches. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are, for example, compounds that participate in various processes of intracellular signaling, also acting in the development and progress of some disorders, such as cancer and Parkinson's disease. The chemical reactions that accompany the metabolism of these species are also accompanied by highly localized temperature changes, which are difficult to monitor via conventional methods. In this sense, luminescent nanoparticles based on lanthanide ions (Ln3+) have been used for ROS sensing or for monitoring of temperature variations in biological systems, exploring the unique spectroscopic properties related to this group of elements. However, nanostructured systems capable of detecting simultaneously ROS and temperature variations using the Ln3+ ions luminescence have not been explored so far. Thus, we propose to develop multimodal nanostructured materials based on rare earth vanadates, combining different properties of Ln3+ ions to obtain luminescent ratiometric sensors for temperature and ROS. The elaboration of such systems can contribute significantly to the understanding of processes associated with several pathologies and in studies of intracellular signaling processes as well.