phototherapy and sonotherapy of melanoma cancer cells using nanoparticles of selenium-polyethylene glycol-curcumin as a dual-mode sensitizer

Background: as an alternative form of cancer therapy, photothermal therapy (ptt) and sonodynamic therapy (sdt) using nanomaterials are in development. nanomaterials can act as energy absorber as well as anti-cancer agent. objective: in this study, the effects of laser and ultrasound irradiation with se- peg-cur nanoparticles were investigated on melanoma cancer. material and methods: in this experimental study, nanoparticles of selenium- polyethylene glycol-curcumin (se-peg-cur) were synthesized, and their uv-vis absorption, particle size, zeta potential and photothermal conversion efficiency were determined. se-peg-cur was then introduced as a novel 808-nm laser light absorbing agent as well as ultrasound (us) wave for treatment of c540 (b16/f10) cancer cells. also, ros generation in c540 (b16/f10) cancer cells was measured upon ptt and sdt using se-peg-cur. results: mean size, zeta potential and photothermal conversion efficiency of se- peg-cur were obtained as ~300 nm, 42.7 mv and 16.7%, respectively. cell viability upon irradiation of the laser light or us waves with 100 μg ml^-1 se-peg-cur were decreased to 33.9 and 22.9%, respectively. conclusion: intracellular ros detection indicated that dual ptt and sdt in the presence of se-peg-cur induced the highest ros production. se-peg-cur was therefore introduced as an absorbing agent of both laser light and us waves for cancer treatment.