Evidence for Natural Anticancer Properties of Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles

Objectives: To date, the therapeutic properties of π-conjugated polymers especially in the form of aqueous nanoparticles, the so-called conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs), have been verified merely upon laser irradiation via the well-established photodynamic and photothermal therapies. In this contribution, it is manifested for the first time the natural anticancer properties of single CPNs. This has been accomplished by studying the cell viability of new CPNs in physiological human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSC), human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT116) and metastatic human melanoma cell line (WM164). The discovery of natural anticancer properties in conjugated polymers can form a new frontier in bioelectronics and nanomedicine and represent a new direction that is orthogonal to the more established areas of conjugated polymers for optoelectronic devices and conjugated polyelectrolyte biosensors. The combined natural anticancer and bioimaging properties of CPNs point to a new strategy for obtaining novel organic nanomaterials for cancer theranostics.