Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the most appealing radiotherapy modalities, whose localization can be further improved by the employment of boron-containing nanoformulations, but the fabrication of biologically friendly, water-dispersible nanoparticles (NPs) with high boron content and favorable physicochemical characteristics still presents a great challenge. Here, we explore the use of elemental boron (B) NPs (BNPs) fabricated using the methods of pulsed laser ablation in liquids as sensitizers of BNCT. Depending on the conditions of laser-ablative synthesis, the used NPs were amorphous (a-BNPs) or partially crystallized (pc-BNPs) with a mean size of 20 nm or 50 nm, respectively. Both types of BNPs were functionalized with polyethylene glycol polymer to improve colloidal stability and biocompatibility. The NPs did not initiate any toxicity effects up to concentrations of 500 µg/mL, based on the results of MTT and clonogenic assay tests. The cells with BNPs incubated at a ¹⁰B concentration of 40 µg/mL were then irradiated with a thermal neutron beam for 30 min. We found that the presence of BNPs led to a radical enhancement in cancer cell death, namely a drop in colony forming capacity of SW-620 cells down to 12.6% and 1.6% for a-BNPs and pc-BNPs, respectively, while the relevant colony-forming capacity for U87 cells dropped down to 17%. The effect of cell irradiation by neutron beam uniquely was negligible under these conditions. Finally, to estimate the dose and regimes of irradiation for future BNCT in vivo tests, we studied the biodistribution of boron under intratumoral administration of BNPs in immunodeficient SCID mice and recorded excellent retention of boron in tumors. The obtained data unambiguously evidenced the effect of a neutron therapy enhancement, which can be attributed to efficient BNP-mediated generation of α-particles.

Experimental results on the formation of small-scale periodic nanostructures during ablation of solids by pico- and femtosecond laser pulses are presented. The period of these nanostructures is in...

The optical properties of nanocomposites of metal nanoparticles and polymers of two types have been studied. Gold and silver nanoparticles were obtained by laser ablation of corresponding metal targets in acetone and chloroform. The thus formed colloidal solutions were used to prepare nanocomposites of these nanoparticles in polymer matrices of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and fluorine-containing polymer LF-32. The polymer matrix is found to promote aggregation of the metal nanoparticles under study into elongated chains. In turn, metal nanoparticles affect the polymer matrix. In the case of PMMA, suppression of the vibrational peaks of polymer in the low-frequency region of its Raman spectrum occurs. In the case of LF-32, gold and silver nanoparticles amplify the Raman signal of the polymer matrix. In addition, the Raman spectra of nanocomposites indicate aggregation of disordered carbon around the nanoparticles obtained by laser ablation in organic solvents. The possibilities of studying the ultrafast (about 1 ps) optical response of the nanocomposites obtained in order to use it in photonics elements are discussed.