Multifunctional material based on ionic transition metal complexes and gold–silica nanoparticles: Synthesis and photophysical characterization for application in imaging and therapy

•Gold–silica nanoparticles doped with phosphorescent Ru(II) and Ir(III) complexes.•Nanoparticles were morphologically and photophysically characterized.•Cytotoxic activity of nanoparticles was tested in living cells.•Photodynamic activity of the Ru(II) complex loaded-nanoparticles was observed.•Nanoparticles are proposed as multifunctional nanoplatform for theranostic purposes.

A new combination of luminescent ionic transition-metal complexes (M = Ru(II) or Ir(III)) with gold silica-based nanoparticles (GSNPs) gives a promising nanomaterial for application in biomedical fields. Herein we report the synthesis and the photophysical properties of Ru(II) and Ir(III) complexes doped gold core-polysiloxane shell particles prepared by microemulsion method and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity and photodynamic activity of the obtained 50 nm-diameter nanoparticles were evaluated in vitro, providing noteworthy results. Furthermore, their intrinsic phosphorescence allows the localization of the photosensitizing nanoparticles into the cytosol of tumor cells by fluorescence confocal microscope. These valuable features designate them as multifunctional nanoplatforms for theranostic purposes.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide