Con-A-carbone nanotube conjugate with short wave near-infrared laser ablation for tumor therapy

Using the characteristics of T cell mitogen called lectin protein from the jack-beam Canavalia ensiformis Concanavalin A (Con-A) with dual activities, cytotoxicity and immunomodulation, we have shown it has a therapeutic effect on hepatoma. Injection of Con-A can eradicate the established malign tumor, because Con-A can induce tumor cell autophagic, cell-programmed death, as well as activate the effector T cells. Combined, in this paper, with the absorption exceeding the Carbon NanoTube (CNT) band-gap (ε_bg=∼1/CNT diameter) with an active short wave near-infrared (SWIR) (1.2∼1.5 micron wavelengths), which happened to be translucent to the irradiation upon animal skin, similar to that used in hospital fingertip-clamped Pulse Oxymetry. Once the Con-A-CNT is guided to hepatoma cells, it is bonded and internalized into the mitochondria (MC) compartment, the cellular energy factory. Con-A has the higher specificity for tumor cells useful for targeting because of the abnormal glycosylation on tumor cells. When CNT was hitchhiked with and guided by Con-A, they could be together internalized to malign cells, and acted like a laserdenotable chemical missile surgically targeting at the tumor cells. We switch on SWIR laser, when the Con-A-CNT conjugated complex has been bonded and internalized to MC of malign cells and already commenced cellular programmed death. Thus, it might appear to casual readers that we have initiated an overkill, chemical drugged autophage followed with physical laser ablation, but what if we can eradicate hepatoma totally if no blue print is left behind inadvertently in case of a partial failure. We conclude that using Con-A-CNT conjugated complex targeting specifically at malign tumor cells is a novel targeted-laser-radiation therapy for tumors in mice.