Composite Thiophene-Based Nanoparticles: Revisiting the PEDOT:PSS/P3HT Interface for Living-Cell Optical Modulation

Organic semiconducting nanoparticles (NPs) attract increasing attention for their diverse applications in biotechnology, especially as photoactive materials for spatially-controlled optical modulation of living cell functions. Different approaches to optimize their efficacy and reliability have been recently attempted, including control of photophysical/chemical properties, ad hoc tailoring of materials synthesis, functionalization with biological moieties. Another promising strategy is offered by the realization of composite light-sensitive NPs, with supramolecular architecture organization. This work reports on fabrication and characterization of polymer NPs based on Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), P3HT, and Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate, PEDOT:PSS, as prototypical examples of fully biocompatible, semiconducting and conducting materials, respectively. The peculiar NP architecture, with conducting islets distributed within semiconducting phase, turns into optimization of charge dissociation and electron transfer efficiency. As an example of relevant physiological interest, effective optical modulation of angiogenesis, driven by NPs, is demonstrated in primary human endothelial cells. Reported strategy is of general validity and broadens the tools available for spatio-temporally controlled, optical modulation of living cell functions via engineering of NP architecture and processes at the interface with living cells.

TULLII Gabriele;  BELLACANZONE Christian;  COMAS-ROJAS Hansel;  FUMAGALLI Francesco Sirio;  RONCHI Carlotta;  VILLANO Anthea;  GOBBO Federico;  BOGAR Marco;  SARTORI Barbara;  SASSI Paola;  ZAMPINI Giulia;  QUAGLIA Giulia;  LATTERINI Loredana;  AMENITISCH Heinz;  ANTOGNAZZA Maria Rosa; 

2025-05-16

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

JRC140667

1944-8252 (online),   

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c02115,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC140667,   

10.1021/acsami.5c02115 (online),