Selenium-Containing Carrier-Free Assemblies with Aggregation-Induced Emission Property Combine Cancer Radiotherapy with Chemotherapy

Abstract

Developing multifunctional carrier-free nanomedicine with high efficacy attracts tremendous attention in cancer treatment. Here, we develop selenium-containing carrier-free assemblies with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property, which achieve the combination of cancer radiotherapy with chemotherapy. Under γ-radiation, diselenide bonds in the assemblies can be cleaved to form seleninic acid, which exhibits anticancer activity by upregulating the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in cancer cells. The incorporation of AIE groups further endows the selenium-containing assemblies with the ability of bioimaging. Their self-assembly behavior change under γ-radiation can be consequently observed in situ. The system combines cancer radiotherapy with chemotherapy, which exhibits improved anticancer activity.

Keywords: aggregation-induced emission; cancer; radiotherapy; selenium; self-assembly.