Rhodium Nanoparticles as a Novel Photosensitizing Agent in Photodynamic Therapy against Cancer

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy is a promising alternative treatment for different types of cancer due to its high selectivity, which prevents healthy tissues from being damaged. The use of nanomaterials in photodynamic therapy has several advantages over classical photosensitizing agents, due to their unique properties and their ability to be functionalized. Especially interesting is the use of metallic nanoparticles, capable of absorbing electromagnetic radiation to either transfer this energy to oxygen molecules for the generation of ROS or dissipate it as heat. Although previous reports have demonstrated the capacity of Rh derivatives as anti‐tumour drugs, there are no studies on the potential of small‐sized Rh nanoparticles as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy. In this study, 5 nm Rh nanoparticles has been synthesized and their potential in photodynamic therapy has been evaluated. The results have shown that treatment with Rh nanoparticles followed by NIR irradiation induces apoptosis in cancer cells through a p53‐independent mechanism.