Killing cancer with red-hot nanotubes

Functionalized carbon nanotubes (green) taken up by cancer cells
with folate receptors (top) and normal cells (bottom). Magnification 20x.

  • Biological systems are highly transparent to 700-1100 nm near-infrared (NIR) light.
  • Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) strongly absorb NIR light.
  • Folate (vitamin B9) phospholipid functionalized SWNTs taken up by tumors with folate receptors.
  • Selective cancer cell destruction can occur by NIR local heating, without harming receptor-free normal cells.

    • Nadine Wong Shi Kam, Michael O'Connell, Jeffrey A. Wisdom, and Hongjie Dai, "Carbon nanotubes as multifunctional biological transporters and near-infrared agents for selective cancer cell destruction," PNAS, 102, 11600-11605, (2005) and Discover Magazine, November 2005.