Method of laser activated nano-thermolysis for elimination of tumor cells

SummaryWe describe novel ex vivo method for elimination of tumor cells from cell suspension, Laser Activated Nanothermolysis and propose this method for purging of bone marrow and blood transplants. K562 and human lympholeukemia cells were eliminated in experiments by laser-induced micro-bubbles that emerge inside individual target cells around selectively formed clusters of light-absorbing gold nanoparticles. Pretreatment of tumor cells with specific monoclonal antibodies and Ig-conjugated 30-nm gold particles allowed the formation of clusters of 10–20 on the surface of cell membrane. Electron microscopy found the nanoparticulate clusters inside the cells. Total (100%) elimination of K562 cells targeted with specific antibodies was achieved with single laser pulses with optical fluence of 5 J/cm2 at the wavelength of 532 nm without damage to the same cells targeted without specific antibodies. Total elimination of human lymphoblasts from suspension of normal stem cells was achieved by a single laser pulse with the optical fluence of 1.7 J/cm2, while the damage level of normal cells was 16%.