English
Biodegradable nanomaterials can significantly improve the safety of nanomedicine. Germanium nanoparticles (Ge NPs) with safe biodegradation pathways have been developed as efficient photothermal converters for biomedical applications. Ge nanoparticles synthesized by femtosecond laser ablation in liquid rapidly dissolve in a physiological environment through oxidation mechanism. The biodegradability of Ge nanoparticles is preserved in vitro in tumor cells and normal mouse tissues, with a half-life as short as 3.5 days. The biocompatibility of Ge NPs has been confirmed in vivo through hematological, biochemical, and histological analysis. The strong light absorption of Ge in the near-infrared spectral range enables the photothermal therapy of transplanted tumors in vivo after intravenous injection of Ge nanoparticles. Photothermal therapy reduced the growth of EMT6/P adenocarcinoma tumors by 3.9 times and significantly prolonged the survival time of mice. The excellent quality extinction of Ge NP (7.9 L g − 1 cm − 1 at 808 nm) enables photoacoustic imaging of bones and tumors after intravenous and intratumoral administration of nanomaterials. Therefore, biodegradable Ge nanomaterials with strong absorption of near-infrared light are expected to be used in advanced therapeutic diagnostics.
