Light controlled metallo-drug delivery system based on the TiO2-nanoparticles and Ru-complex

We studied the colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles as a carrier for controlled delivery of the ruthenium complex to the melanoma cell line. The system demonstrated slower complex release upon visible and increased release rate upon UV light illumination. Accordingly, the light–dependent cytotoxicity of the system was demonstrated on amelanotic melanoma cancer line. The cell death is enhanced by UV and reduced by red light in the presence of investigated nanocomposite system. Both components of the system may act as photosensitizers, by generating reactive oxygen species, which promote cell death. Thus, the system might act dually, as photodynamic therapeutic agent and as the light tunable system for metallo-drug delivery and it might be of interest for development of new more efficient drug delivery approaches by using a light as external stimulus.