Interaction of Upconversion Nanoparticles with Mouse Peritoneal Macrophages as Potential Mediators of Targeted Delivery

Nanomaterial-based drugs are currently being actively developed for tumor diagnostics and therapy, and some are already in clinical use. However, systemic administration of nanomedicines often results in their rapid removal from the bloodstream by cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system and accumulation in the liver and spleen. For abdominal and pelvic tumors, intraperitoneal administration may be an option, overcoming the inefficiency of passive delivery. Peritoneal immune cells, which are tropic to tumor nodes, can be used to transport nanoagents to tumor sites. In this study, biocompatible complexes based on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) were synthesized and their interaction with mouse peritoneal macrophages was studied. UCNP-based particles were shown to be capable of being taken up by macrophages and maintain their integrity for an extended period. The obtained results allow us to further consider the use of peritoneal macrophages as a system for delivering nanopreparations to tumor foci.