Light-Responsive Smart Nanoliposomes: Harnessing the Azobenzene Moiety for Controlled Drug Release under Near-Infrared Irradiation

The azobenzene moiety is an intriguing structure that deforms under UV and visible light, indicating a high potential for biomedical applications. However, its reaction to UV radiation is problematic because of its high energy and low tissue penetration. Unlike previous research on azobenzene structures in photoresponsive materials, this study presents a novel method for imparting photostimulation-responsive properties to liposomes by incorporating the azobenzene moiety and extending the light wavelength with up-conversion nanoparticles. First, the azobenzene structure was incorporated into a phospholipid molecule to create Azo-PSG, which could spontaneously form vesicle assemblies in aqueous solutions and isomerizes within 1 h of light exposure. Furthermore, orthogonal up-conversion nanoparticles with a core–shell structure were created by sequentially growing lanthanide rare earths in the shell layer, which efficiently converts near-infrared light into ultraviolet (400 nm) and blue-green (540 nm) light. Combining these core–shell structured up-conversion nanomaterials with Azo-PSG molecules resulted in the creation of a near-infrared light-responsive smart nanoliposome system. Under near-infrared light irradiation, UCNPs emit UV and blue-green light, causing conformational changes in Azo-PSG molecules that allow drug release within 6 h. The reversible structural shift of Azo-PSG in response to light stimulation holds enormous promise for improving drug release techniques. This novel technique also expands the usage of UV-responsive compounds beyond their constraints of low penetration and high biotoxicity, allowing for rapid medication release under NIR light.