Plasmon-Enhanced Photorelease of Nitric Oxide from Light-Sensitive Donors on Silver Island Films
Danil V. Shershnev 1,2 Natalia A. Virts 1, Igor A. Gladskikh 3, Pavel V. Geydt 2, Mikhail A. Panfilov 1,4, Alexey Yu. Vo-rob’ev 2,4 and Alexander E. Moskalensky 1,2
1 Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius, Russia
2 Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
3 ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russia
4 N.N. Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
Abstract
The controlled release of therapeutic molecules at specific sites in the body is a major goal in modern medicine. Nitric oxide (NO) is an especially interesting candidate because its biological role strongly depends on both its concentration and the local cellular environment. Light-activated NO donors allow precise, on-demand release, but their performance is limited by low efficiency and unwanted side reactions such as the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To overcome these challenges, we explored hybrid systems that combine photosensitive NO donors with plasmonic silver island films (SIFs).
Our study focused on how localized surface plasmon effects influence NO release and ROS generation. When excited at 500 nm, we observed a several-fold increase in NO release compared to donors alone. This enhancement is explained by resonant interactions between the plasmonic field and the donor molecules. By varying the thickness of a thin SiO₂ buffer layer, we found that two parameters were especially important: the overlap between the plasmon resonance and the donor’s absorption spectrum, and the distance between the nanoparticle surface and the donor molecule. Interestingly, the system also showed an increase in singlet oxygen production, pointing to a broader impact on photochemical pathways.
These findings demonstrate that plasmonic nanostructures can be used to boost and tune the activity of light-sensitive therapeutic systems. By selectively enhancing NO release and influencing ROS generation, this approach opens new possibilities for advanced biomedical applications, including targeted phototherapy and diagnostic tools.
This work was supported by the grant of the state program of the Sirius Federal Territory (Scientific and technological development of the Sirius Federal Territory), Agreement No. 28-03, date 07.07.2025.
Speaker
Alexander Moskalensky
Sirius University of Science and Technology
Russia
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