Porous Pt Nanoparticles with High Near-Infrared Photothermal Conversion Efficiencies for Photothermal Therapy

A molybdenum sulfide based nitric oxide controlled release oral gel for rapid healing of oral mucosal ulcers

Oral mucosal ulcer is the most prevalent oral mucosal lesion, affecting over 25 % of general population. The current treatment regimens lack efficacy in addressing challenges such as wound bleeding, bacterial infection and inflammation on a continuous basis. Hence, a multi-functional oral gel (termed MPCST) with a long-acting duration is designed. It is based on a tannic acid-thioctic acid (TATA) supramolecular hydrogel which absorbs tissue exudate while exhibiting robust tissue adhesion properties. To form MPCST, TATA is loaded with MPCS, which are composed of polydopamine (PDA)-coated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoflakes (MoS2@PDA) with high photothermal conversion efficiency, nitric oxide (NO) precursor nitroprusside (SNP) and cerium oxide (CeO2) with high reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging rate. Upon exposure to 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, MPCS rapidly heats up and releases NO to promote angiogenesis, while exhibiting strong ROS scavenging, antibacterial (including oral common Streptococcus mutans), and anti-inflammatory properties. Animal experiments show that the MPCST oral gel, composed of MPCS and TATA hydrogel, exhibits superior therapeutic efficacy compared to the commonly used dexamethasone patch.

Untethered Soft Pneumatic Actuators with Embedded Multiple Sensing Capabilities

Pneumatic soft robot attracts extensive attention because of its own characteristics. It has great application potential in medical and other fields. Although the recent improvement of the soft robot shows great potentials for delicate manipulations, the development of completely untethered pneumatic intelligent soft robots remains challenging. This article introduces a novel type of untethered soft pneumatic actuator with embedded multiple sensing capabilities. The untethered drive of the soft pneumatic actuator is achieved by near-infrared-induced liquid-gas phase transition. In addition, a soft conductive resin was developed to make flexible sensors. Embedded flexible sensors enable bending and temperature sensing of soft actuators. With Digital Light Processing three-dimensional printing, the rapid fabrication of soft actuators and flexible sensors was realized. This article demonstrates the potential of the proposed untethered soft actuators with embedded multiple sensing capabilities as an important contribution to the research of completely untethered intelligent soft robots.

Synthesis of Structure-Adjustable R-Au/Pt-CdS Nanohybrids with Strong Plasmon Coupling and Improved Photothermal Conversion Performance

Noble metal nanomaterials with a localized surface plasmon resonance effect exhibit outstanding advantages in areas such as photothermal therapy and photocatalysis. As a unique plasmonic metal nanostructure, gold nanobipyramids have been attracting much interest due to their strong specific local electric field intensity, large optical cross sections, and high refractive index sensitivity. In this study, we propose a novel three-component hetero-nanostructure composed of rough gold nanobipyramids (R-Au NBPs), Pt, and CdS. Initially, purified gold nanobipyramids are regrown to form R-Au NBPs that have a certain degree of roughness. These R-Au NBP substrates with a rough surface provide more hotspots and strengthen the intensity of localized electric fields. Subsequently, Pt and CdS nanoparticles are selectively deposited onto the surface of R-Au NBPs. Pt nanoparticles can provide more active sites. Each component of this hetero-nanostructure directly contacts others, creating multiple electron transfer channels. This novel design allows for tunable localized plasmon resonance wavelengths ranging from the visible to near-infrared regions. These factors contribute to the final superior photothermal conversion performance of the R-Au/Pt-CdS nanohybrids. Under the irradiation of near-infrared light (1064 nm), the photothermal conversion efficiency of R-Au/Pt-CdS reached 38.88%, which is 4.49, 1.5, and 1.22 times higher than that of Au NBPs, R-Au NBPs, and R-Au NBPs/Pt, respectively.

Dual-Readout Ultrasensitive Lateral Flow Immunosensing of Salmonella typhimurium in Dairy Products by Doping Engineering-Powered Nanoheterostructure with Enhanced Photothermal Performance

The photothermal lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) is of great significance to suitable for on-site semiquantitative detection, which has the upper hand in further constructing detection methods for low-concentration targets. Herein, we presented a doping engineering-powered nanoheterostructure with an enhanced photothermal performance strategy, employing bimetallic nanocuboid Pt3Sn (PSNCs) as a proof of concept. With the help of finite element simulation analysis, the contrast of direct temperature experiment, and the evaluation of photothermal conversion efficiency (η), the distinguished and enthusiastic photothermal feedback of PSNCs is proved. Based on steady bright black of colorimetric and superior photothermal performance, the PSNCs were employed to construct an ultrasensitive model LIFA for detecting Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), which achieved the double-signal semiquantitative detection, the detection limit reached 103 cfu mL-1 (colorimetric mode) and 102 cfu mL-1 (photothermal mode), which is 100 times higher than that of the traditional colloidal gold method. In addition, the method was effective for the detection of targets in dairy samples only through a simple dilution treatment, which was completed within 15 min. Meanwhile, this PSNCs dual-signal LFIA demonstrated the sensitive detection of S. typhimurium due to the excellent colorimetric signal and significant photothermal performance, which provides a broad spectrum for the future detection of foodborne pathogens.

CeO2 and Glucose Oxidase Co-Enriched Ti3C2Tx MXene for Hyperthermia-Augmented Nanocatalytic Cancer Therapy

Foreseen as foundational in forthcoming oncology interventions are multimodal therapeutic systems. Nevertheless, the tumor microenvironment (TME), marked by heightened glucose levels, hypoxia, and scant concentrations of endogenous hydrogen peroxide could potentially impair their effectiveness. In this research, two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets are engineered with CeO2 nanozymes and glucose oxidase (GOD), optimizing them for TME, specifically targeting cancer therapy. Following our therapeutic design, CeO2 nanozymes, embodying both peroxidase-like and catalase-like characteristics, enable transformation of H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals for catalytic therapy while also producing oxygen to mitigate hypoxia. Concurrently, GOD metabolizes glucose, thereby augmenting H2O2 levels and disrupting the intracellular energy supply. When subjected to a near-infrared laser, 2D Ti3C2 MXene accomplishes photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), additionally amplifying cascade catalytic treatment via thermal enhancement. Empirical evidence demonstrates robust tumor suppression both in vitro and in vivo by the CeO2/Ti3C2-PEG-GOD nanocomposite. Consequently, this integrated approach, which combines PTT/PDT and enzymatic catalysis, could offer a valuable blueprint for the development of advanced oncology therapies.

The posterity of Zebrafish in paradigm of in vivo molecular toxicological profiling

The aggrandised advancement in utility of advanced day-to-day materials and nanomaterials has raised serious concern on their biocompatibility with human and other biotic members. In last few decades, understanding of toxicity of these materials has been given the centre stage of research using many in vitro and in vivo models. Zebrafish (Danio rerio), a freshwater fish and a member of the minnow family has garnered much attention due to its distinct features, which make it an important and frequently used animal model in various fields of embryology and toxicological studies. Given that fertilization and development of zebrafish eggs take place externally, they serve as an excellent model organism for studying early developmental stages. Moreover, zebrafish possess a comparable genetic composition to humans and share almost 70% of their genes with mammals. This particular model organism has become increasingly popular, especially for developmental research. Moreover, it serves as a link between in vitro studies and in vivo analysis in mammals. It is an appealing choice for vertebrate research, when employing high-throughput methods, due to their small size, swift development, and relatively affordable laboratory setup. This small vertebrate has enhanced comprehension of pathobiology and drug toxicity. This review emphasizes on the recent developments in toxicity screening and assays, and the new insights gained about the toxicity of drugs through these assays. Specifically, the cardio, neural, and, hepatic toxicology studies inferred by applications of nanoparticles have been highlighted.

Isoindigo-Based Dual-Acceptor Conjugated Polymers Incorporated Conjugation Length and Intramolecular Charge Transfer for High-Efficient Photothermal Conversion

Photothermal tumor therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PA) have emerged as promising noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. However, the development of efficient PTT agents with high photostability and strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption remains challenging. This study synthesizes three isoindigo-based dual-acceptor conjugated polymers (CPs) (P-IIG-TPD, P-IIG-DPP, and P-IIG-EDOT-BT) via a green and nontoxic direct arylation polymerization (DArP) method and characterizes their optical, electrochemical, and NIR photothermal conversion properties. By incorporating two acceptors into the backbone, the resulting polymers exhibit enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) due to improved synergy among conjugation length, planarity, and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The nanoparticles (NPs) of P-IIG-EDOT-BT and P-IIG-DPP have a uniform size distribution around 140 nm and exhibit remarkable NIR absorption at 808 nm. In addition, P-IIG-EDOT-BT and P-IIG-DPP NPs exhibit high PCEs of 62% and 78%, respectively. This study promotes the molecular design of CPs as NIR photothermal conversion materials and provides guidance for the development of novel dual-acceptor CPs for tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Recent Advances of Platinum-Based Anticancer Complexes in Combinational Multimodal Therapy

Platinum drugs with manifest therapeutic effects are widely used, but their systemic toxicity and the drug resistance acquired by cancer cells limit their clinical applications. Thus, the exploration on appropriate methods and strategies to overcome the limitations of traditional platinum drugs becomes extremely necessary. Combination therapy of platinum drugs can inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in an additive or synergistic manner, and can potentially reduce the systemic toxicity of platinum drugs and overcome platinum-resistance. This review summarizes the various modalities and current progress in platinum-based combination therapy. The synthetic strategies and therapeutic effects of some platinum-based anticancer complexes in the combination of platinum drugs with gene editing, ROS-based therapy, thermal therapy, immunotherapy, biological modelling, photoactivation, supramolecular self-assembly and imaging modality are briefly described. Their potential challenges and prospects are also discussed. It is hoped that this review will inspire researchers to have more ideas for the future development of highly effective platinum-based anti-cancer complexes.

Monometallic and alloy nanoparticles: a review of biomedical applications

Current intrinsic deficiencies in biomedicine promote the rapid development of alternative multitasking approaches. Recently, monometallic and alloy nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely studied for their potential biomedical applications. However, the research mainly focuses on monometallic compounds and metal oxide NPs that have already been studied. In this review, we investigate promising modified mono- and bimetallic NPs for improving the current state of materials science in medicine. It was contended that effective general biomedical applications can be enhanced by intelligent NP design. Particularly, we discuss transition and platinum metal compositions, iron-based and non-iron compounds, along with liquid alloys. Subsequently, we explore the capabilities provided by modifications such as inorganic and organic coatings, polymers, and biomolecules that can invent new NP designs for precise applications, ultimately resulting in an improved patient outcome. We provide a comprehensive assessment of the advantages and limitations of monometallic and alloy nanomaterials and possible solutions to problems that delay their development.

Palladium nanoparticle based smart hydrogels for NIR light-triggered photothermal/photodynamic therapy and drug release with wound healing capability

Tumor recurrence and wound repair are two major challenges following cancer surgical resection that can be addressed through precision nanomedicine. Herein, palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) with photothermal and photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT) capacity were successfully synthesized. The Pd NPs were loaded with chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) to form hydrogels (Pd/DOX@hydrogel) as a smart anti-tumor platform. The hydrogels were composed of clinically approved agarose and chitosan, with excellent biocompatibility and wound healing ability. Pd/DOX@hydrogel can be used for both PTT and PDT with a synergistic effect to kill tumor cells. Additionally, the photothermal effect of Pd/DOX@hydrogel allowed the photo-triggered drug release of DOX. Therefore, Pd/DOX@hydrogel can be used for near-infrared (NIR)-triggered PTT and PDT as well as for photo-induced chemotherapy, efficiently inhibiting tumor growth. Furthermore, Pd/DOX@hydrogel can be used as a temporary biomimetic skin to block the invasion of foreign harmful substances, promote angiogenesis, and accelerate wound repair and new skin formation. Thus, the as-prepared smart Pd/DOX@hydrogel is expected to provide a feasible therapeutic solution following tumor resection.

Engineering near-infrared laser-activated gold nanorod vesicles with upper critical solution temperature for photothermal therapy and chemotherapy

Multimodal synergistic therapy based on nanomedicine drug delivery systems can achieve accurate cancer treatment. The anisotropy of gold nanorods (AuNRs) allows the adjustment of the longitudinal localized surface plasmon resonance absorption to the near-infrared band, which shows potential application in the field of photothermal therapy of cancer. Here, we report a new type of thermal-sensitive gold nanorod drug-loaded vesicles (UGRV-DOX) via the self-assembly of AuNRs modified with the amphiphilic polymer (PEG₄₅-b-PS₁₅₀) and upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer (P(AAm-co-AN)). The hollow structure of the vesicle can increase the drug loading capacity, and the polymers on its surface are intertwined to reduce drug leakage. As-prepared UGRV-DOX vesicles exhibits excellent photothermal conversion efficiency and can achieve light-controlled drug release. In vivo anti-tumor experiments showed that UGRV-DOX could ablate HepG2 transplanted tumors significantly under 808 nm laser irradiation, and the inhibition rate was as high as 99.3 %. These tumor-specific nanovesicles prefigure great potentials for high-precision cancer treatment.

Recent Progress of Gold-Based Nanostructures towards Future Emblem of Photo-Triggered Cancer Theranostics: A Special Focus on Combinatorial Phototherapies

Cancer is one of the most dangerous health problems in the millennium and it is the third foremost human cause of death in the universe. Traditional cancer treatments face several disadvantages and cannot often afford adequate outcomes. It has been exhibited that the outcome of several therapies can be improved when associated with nanostructures. In addition, a modern tendency is being developed in cancer therapy to convert single-modal into multi-modal therapies with the help of existing various nanostructures. Among them, gold is the most successful nanostructure for biomedical applications due to its flexibility in preparation, stabilization, surface modifications, less cytotoxicity, and ease of bio-detection. In the past few decades, gold-based nanomaterials rule cancer treatment applications, currently, gold nanostructures were the leading nanomaterials for synergetic cancer therapies. In this review article, the synthesis, stabilization, and optical properties of gold nanostructures have been discussed. Then, the surface modifications and targeting mechanisms of gold nanomaterials will be described. Recent signs of progress in the application of gold nanomaterials for synergetic cancer therapies such as photodynamic and photo-thermal therapies in combination with other common interventions such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and will be reviewed. Also, a summary of the pharmacokinetics of gold nanostructures will be delivered. Finally, the challenges and outlooks of the gold nanostructures in the clinics for applications in cancer treatments are debated.

Photoresponsive Inorganic Nanomaterials in Oncology

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer are continuously evolving in search of more efficient, safe, and personalized approaches. Therapies based on nanoparticles or physical stimuli-responsive substances have shown great potential to overcome the inherent shortcomings of conventional cancer therapies. In fact, nanoparticles may increase the half-life of chemotherapeutic agents or promote the targeting in cancer tissues while physical stimuli-responsive substances are more effective and safer with respect to traditional chemotherapeutic agents because of the possibility to be switched on only when needed. These 2 approaches can be combined by exploiting the ability of some inorganic nanomaterials to be activated by light, ultrasounds, magnetic fields, or ionizing radiations. Albeit the development of stimuli-responsive materials is still at the early stages, research in this field is rapidly growing since they have important advantages with respect to organic nanoparticles or molecular substances, like higher stability, and higher efficiency in converting the stimulus in heat or, in some cases, reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, the translation process is slowed down by issues related to safety and quality of the formulations. This literature review summarizes the current advancements in this research field, analysing the most promising materials and applications.

Recent Clinical and Preclinical Advances in External Stimuli-Responsive Therapies for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has long been one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide; even though treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy have been proven to benefit the patients and prolong their survival time, the overall five-year survival rate is still below 50%. Hence, the development of new therapies for better patient management is an urgent need. External stimuli-responsive therapies are emerging therapies with promising antitumor effects; therapies such as photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal therapies (PTT) have been tested clinically in late-stage HNSCC patients and have achieved promising outcomes, while the clinical translation of sonodynamic therapy (SDT), radiodynamic therapy (RDT), microwave dynamic/thermodynamic therapy, and magnetothermal/magnetodynamic therapy (MDT/MTT) still lag behind. In terms of preclinical studies, PDT and PTT are also the most extensively studied therapies. The designing of nanoparticles and combinatorial therapies of PDT and PTT can be referenced in designing other stimuli-responsive therapies in order to achieve better antitumor effects as well as less toxicity. In this review, we consolidate the advancements and limitations of various external stimuli-responsive therapies, as well as critically discuss the prospects of this type of therapies in HNSCC treatments.

Progress of Nanomaterials-Based Photothermal Therapy for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the top 15 most prevalent cancers worldwide. However, the current treatment models for OSCC (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination therapy) present several limitations: damage to adjacent healthy tissue, possible recurrence, low efficiency, and severe side effects. In this context, nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive research attention. This paper reviews the latest progress in the application of biological nanomaterials for PTT in OSCC. We divide photothermal nanomaterials into four categories (noble metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, metal compounds, and organic nanomaterials) and introduce each category in detail. We also mention in detail the drug delivery systems for PTT of OSCC and briefly summarize the applications of hydrogels, liposomes, and micelles. Finally, we note the challenges faced by the clinical application of PTT nanomaterials and the possibility of further improvement, providing direction for the future research of PTT in OSCC treatment.

Mn-doped single atom nanozyme composited Au for enhancing enzymatic and photothermal therapy

As an emerging technology, nanocatalytic medicine attracts much attention, especially the ones according to the enzymatic reaction by using excess H₂O₂ in the tumor. Among various candidates, single-atom catalyst (SAC) revealed unique and outstanding redox reaction performance, since the active sites consisting of single metal atoms may achieve the maximum utilization of metal atoms and emerge obviously amplified reaction rate. Here we developed an M-N_x (M = Mn, Zn) center-based SAC with a hollow structure by calcination of Mn²⁺-doped zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8), and PEGylation was applied to improve the hydrophilicity. According to the enzymatic reaction, the M-N_x (M = Mn, Zn) centers have an inherent peroxidase-like activity to catalyze over-expressed H₂O₂ in the weak acidic tumor microenvironment and generate a large amount of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) like hydroxyl radicals for therapy. To keep efficient therapeutic output, we integrated the hollow SAC with Au which could expend the glucose in tumor and supply H₂O₂ as the substrate of peroxidase-like activity. Better yet, Au may boost the photothermal effect of SAC and offer another non-invasive photothermal therapy (PTT) to promote the effect of tumor removal. This platform provided a new idea for the construction of more efficient peroxidase-like activity in tumor therapy.

Chemo-Phototherapy with Carfilzomib-Encapsulated TiN Nanoshells Suppressing Tumor Growth and Lymphatic Metastasis

The design of nanomedicine for cancer therapy, especially the treatment of tumor metastasis has received great attention. Proteasome inhibition is accepted as a new strategy for cancer therapy. Despite being a big breakthrough in multiple myeloma therapy, carfilzomib (CFZ), a second-in-class proteasome inhibitor is still unsatisfactory for solid tumor and metastasis therapy. In this study, hollow titanium nitride (TiN) nanoshells are synthesized as a drug carrier of CFZ. The TiN nanoshells have a high loading capacity of CFZ, and their intrinsic inhibitory effect on autophagy synergistically enhances the activity of CFZ. Due to an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region, TiN nanoshell-based photothermal therapy further induces a synergistic anticancer effect. In vivo study demonstrates that TiN nanoshells readily drain into the lymph nodes, which are responsible for tumor lymphatic metastasis. The CFZ-loaded TiN nanoshell-based chemo-photothermal therapy combined with surgery offers a remarkable therapeutic outcome in greatly inhibiting further metastatic spread of cancer cells. These findings suggest that TiN nanoshells act as an efficient carrier of CFZ for realizing enhanced outcomes for proteasome inhibitor-based cancer therapy, and this work also presents a "combined chemo-phototherapy assisted surgery" strategy, promising for future cancer treatment.

Poly-l-lysine derivative-coated black phosphorus as a nanoplatform for photothermal chemotherapy to enhance anti-tumor efficiency

Severe systemic toxicity and side effects are major obstacles to the success of chemotherapy for tumors. Regardless of the choice of chemotherapy drugs, the safety of drug delivery materials is crucial, and therefore, there have been various efforts to improve the therapeutic effect and the biological safety of drug delivery systems (DDSs). In this study, a dual stimulus-response DDS (PLL-SS@DOX-BP) was constructed based on the biomaterials of black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets and poly-l-lysine (PLL) to enhance the treatment of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) for breast cancer. The PLL derivative was nano-coated on the surface of drug-loaded BP nanosheets, and it prevented premature leakage of the drug and maintained the stability of the DDS. The introduced disulfide bonds and photothermal agent BP enabled the redox and near-infrared responsive drug release of the DDS, and the coated PLL derivative on the nanocarrier decreased premature leakage of the drug before the DDS reached the tumor tissues. The in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the combination of biomaterial (PLL) and photothermal material (BP nanosheets) exhibited excellent biological safety and remarkable drug delivery capacity. Moreover, the pharmacodynamic studies indicated that PLL-SS@DOX-BP is a powerful vehicle for photothermal therapy in combination with chemotherapy. Compared with chemotherapy alone, the developed DDS displayed enhanced anti-tumor efficiency with decreased systemic toxicity, and thus, it has the potential to be a promising anti-tumor treatment strategy.

Dual-targeting prodrug nanotheranostics for NIR-Ⅱ fluorescence imaging-guided photo-immunotherapy of glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) therapy is severely impaired by the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and invasive tumor growth in the central nervous system. To improve GBM therapy, we herein presented a dual-targeting nanotheranostic for second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging-guided photo-immunotherapy. Firstly, a NIR-Ⅱ fluorophore MRP bearing donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) backbone was synthesized. Then, the prodrug nanotheranostics were prepared by self-assembling MRP with a prodrug of JQ1 (JPC) and T7 ligand-modified PEG_5k-DSPE. T7 can cross the BBB for tumor-targeted delivery of JPC and MRP. JQ1 could be restored from JPC at the tumor site for suppressing interferon gamma-inducible programmed death ligand 1 expression in the tumor cells. MRP could generate NIR-II fluorescence to navigate 808 nm laser, induce a photothermal effect to trigger in-situ antigen release at the tumor site, and ultimately elicit antitumor immunogenicity. Photo-immunotherapy with JPC and MRP dual-loaded nanoparticles remarkably inhibited GBM tumor growth in vivo. The dual-targeting nanotheranostic might represent a novel nanoplatform for precise photo-immunotherapy of GBM.

A Polydopamine-Coated Platinum Nanoplatform for Tumor-Targeted Photothermal Ablation and Migration Inhibition

In this work, Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide-coupled polydopamine-modified mesoporous platinum nanoparticles (mPt@PDA-RGD NPs) were developed for targeted photothermal therapy (PTT) and migration inhibition of SKOV-3 cells. mPt@PDA-RGD NPs with obvious core/shell structure demonstrated high photothermal performance under 808-nm near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. mPt@PDA-RGD NPs with favorable biocompatibility exhibited remarkable SKOV-3 inhibition ability under NIR laser irradiation. Moreover, compared to mPt@PDA NPs, the RGD-functionalized NPs achieved more tumor uptake and PTT performance, which was attributed to the specific interaction between RGD of NPs and α_vβ₃ integrin overexpressed by SKOV-3. Importantly, cell scratch experiments indicated that the photothermal effect of mPt@PDA-RGD NPs can effectively inhibit the migration of surviving SKOV-3 cells, which was assigned to disturbance of the actin cytoskeleton of SKOV-3. Thus, mPt@PDA-RGD NPs presented great potential for targeted tumor photothermal ablation and migration inhibition.

The Treatment of Human Colon Xenografts Tumor in Mice with Platinum Nanosphere-5-Fluorouracil-Bovine Albumin

Because 5-fluorouracil (FLU) has side effects in cancer treatment, the use of FLU in therapeutic activities is limited. To overcome this challenge, the use of nano-platforms for its targeting is f great interest in biomedical fields. For this purpose, to reduce the FLU toxicity and improve the its efficacy, platinum nanospheres (PtNS) with anti-cancer properties were used. After producing PtNS by hydrothermal method and loading FLU and bovine albumin (bAL) (PtNS-FLU-bAL), its physicochemical properties were investigated. After evaluating the drug release capability, the toxicity of PtNS-FLU-bAL on HCT-116 cells was assessed by MTT and flow-cytometry. Also, the effects of the nanospheres on tumor status, liver and kidney tissues were evaluated. The results indicate uniform size of the PtNS-FLU-bAL (79±2.04 nm) with spherical shape, loading of more than 50% of the FLU (in the ratio of 2:1 FLU to PtNS-bAL), optimal release of the FLU from the PtNS-FLU-bAL (83.1% in pH = 6), and the high toxicity of the PtNS-FLU-bAL on HCT-116 cells. Also, the toxicity mechanism indicated more apoptosis induction by increasing the expression of TNF-α, Bax, Fas, and Caspase-3 genes for PtNS-FLU-bAL compared to the free FLU. Moreover, the results showed a higher FLU concentration in cancerous tissue and a 1.5-fold reduction in tumor growth by the PtNS-FLU-bAL compared to the free FLU. Overall, the results show that the PtNS-FLU-bAL can enhance the success of colorectal cancer treatment effectively and safely.

Co-delivery of NIR-II semiconducting polymer and pH-sensitive doxorubicin-conjugated prodrug for photothermal/chemotherapy

Semiconducting polymer (SP) is a promising photothermal agent in the antitumor application, but the co-delivery of the second near-infrared window (NIR-II)-based SPs with chemotherapeutic drug (e.g., doxorubicin (DOX)) remains a challenge. Here, SPs were firstly improved via backbone and alkyl side-chain engineering, and afterward, SPs and pH-sensitive prodrug copolymer self-assembled into a nanoparticle for a photoacoustic (PA)-imaging guided combination of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. SP-encapsulated nanoparticles exhibited a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 45% at a relatively low power level of NIR irradiation (0.3 W/cm2 for 5 min). DOX was rapidly released in response to the acidic lysosomal environment. PA and fluorescence imaging confirmed that the photothermal therapy effectively drove DOX penetration inside tumor tissue, and it resulted in the killing of the surviving tumor cells from hyperthermia. The synergistic effect of SP-based photothermal therapy and DOX-induced chemotherapy was verified in vivo. Overall, the co-delivery of the SP and DOX using pH-sensitive nanoparticles represents a feasible strategy for photothermal therapy with potentially synergistic drug effects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Recent years have yielded great progress in semiconducting polymers (SPs)-based photothermal therapy for anticancer treatment. However, studies about molecular weight and side-chain of SPs on photothermal conversion efficiency are limited, and investigation of controlled codelivery with chemotherapeutic drug is lacking. Here, we improved the SPs performance via backbone and side-chain engineering, and afterward offered a pH-sensitive DOX-conjugated amphiphilic copolymer to encapsulate SPs. SP-encapsulated nanoparticles exhibited high photothermal conversion efficiency at a clinically feasible power level of NIR irradiation. NIR irradiation-generated hyperthermia not only killed tumor cells but also promoted DOX penetration inside the tumor tissue to ablate the tumor cells that survived hyperthermia. The synergistic effect of SP-based photothermal therapy and DOX-induced chemotherapy was verified in vivo.

Fe3O4/PPy-Coated Superhydrophilic Polymer Porous Foam: A Double Layered Photothermal Material with a Synergistic Light-to-Thermal Conversion Effect toward Desalination

Solar steam generation has been considered as one of the most promising strategies for production of fresh water using renewable solar energy. Herein, we prepared a polymer porous foam (HPSS) by a facile hydrothermal method. The HPSS presents a superhydrophilic wettability, an interpenetrating macroporous structure, and low thermal conductivity, which can well satisfy the criteria as an ideal candidate for photothermal materials. The HPSS/Fe₃O₄/PPy (polypyrrole) evaporator, of which a Fe₃O₄/PPy binary optical system served as a light absorption layer and HPSS was used as a porous substrate, was constructed through in situ growth of Fe₃O₄ particles followed by interfacial polymerization of PPy on the surface of HPSS. HPSS/Fe₃O₄/PPy shows an excellent light absorption capacity (92%) and photothermal conversion performance, with the solar energy conversion efficiency reaching up to 94.7% under 1 sun irradiation, which is much higher than that of HPSS/PPy (84.8%) composed of a unitary PPy light absorption layer. Interestingly, the presence of Fe₃O₄ particles could make directional migration in a magnetic field possible, thus facilitating its recovery as a self-floating solar generator in an open water area. Moreover, the HPSS/Fe₃O₄/PPy evaporator displays outstanding salt resistance properties and stability in various saline solutions, thus having great potential in practical desalination.

MnO2-coated porous Pt@CeO2 core-shell nanostructures for photoacoustic imaging-guided tri-modal cancer therapy

We describe the synthesis of MnO₂-coated porous Pt@CeO₂ core-shell nanostructures (Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂) as a new theranostic nano-platform. The porous Pt cores endow the core-shell nanostructures with high photothermal conversion efficiency (80%) in the near-infrared region, allowing for photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PA) of tumors. The combination of the Pt core and porous CeO₂ interlayer enhances the separation of photo-generated electrons and holes, which is beneficial for the generation of singlet oxygen. With the porous structures of the cores and interlayers, the Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ nanostructures are further loaded with an anti-cancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX). The degradation of the MnO₂ shell in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can generate O₂ for enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT) and simultaneously trigger DOX release. PA imaging shows good accumulation and retention of DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ in tumors, which guides precise laser irradiation to initiate combined PTT and PDT. The synergistic PTT/PDT/chemotherapy demonstrated by DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ yields remarkable therapeutic outcomes in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ provides a new avenue for designing high-performance nano-platforms for imaging and therapeutics.

Multifunctional Parachute-like Nanomotors for Enhanced Skin Penetration and Synergistic Antifungal Therapy

Fungal infections in skin are extremely stubborn and seriously threaten human health. In the process of antifungal treatment, it is a huge challenge that the stratum corneum of the skin and fungal biofilms form the drug transport barrier. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR) laser-propelled parachute-like nanomotor loaded with miconazole nitrate (PNM-MN) is fabricated to enhance transdermal drug delivery for synergistic antifungal therapy. Due to asymmetrically spatial distribution, PNM can generate a thermal gradient under NIR laser irradiation, thereby forming effective self-thermophoretic propulsion. The self-propulsion and photothermal effect of PNM play a major role in promoting fungal uptake and biofilm adhesion. Moreover, under laser irradiation, PNM-MN can obliterate plankton Candida albicans and mature biofilms by combining pharmacological therapy and photothermal therapy. More importantly, the drug effectively penetrated the skin to reach the infected site using the nanomotor with NIR laser irradiation. Moreover, PNM-MN with a NIR laser can eradicate fungal infections caused by C. albicans and facilitate the abscess ablation, showing a therapeutic effect in vivo better than that of PNM with a NIR laser or free MN groups, with negligible histological toxicity. Taken together, NIR laser-propelled PNM-MN, as an antifungal nanoagent, provides a promising strategy for transdermal delivery and antifungal therapy.

A Homotypic Membrane-Camouflaged Biomimetic Nanoplatform with Gold Nanocrystals for Synergistic Photothermal/Starvation/Immunotherapy

Although photothermal therapy (PTT) has great potential for tumor inhibition, this single mode of action frequently encounters recurrence and metastasis, highlighting the urgent need for developing combination therapy. Inspired by established evidence that PTT could induce efficient immunogenic cell death (ICD), we here developed a versatile biomimetic nanoplatform (denoted as AuDRM) for the synergism of photothermal/starvation/immunotherapy against cancer. Specifically, dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully constructed followed by the in situ synthesis of Au NPs in the mesopores. Afterward, a hybrid membrane was coated to facilitate the loading of R837. Upon efficient accumulation in the tumor tissue by homotypic targeting, the pH-sensitive membrane could be jettisoned to ensure the exposure of Au NPs for starvation therapy and the effective release of the immunostimulator R837 for enhancement of immunotherapy. Except for the PTT-mediated tumor ablation, the induction of ICD coupled with the release of tumor antigens could work synergistically with the immunostimulator R837 for inhibiting the primary tumor as well as the metastasis and induce a long-term immune memory effect for tumor inhibition via a vaccine-like function. Thus, this study paves the way for high-performance tumor ablation by the synergism of photothermal/starvation/immunotherapy.

Multifunctional Theranostic Graphene Oxide Nanoflakes as MR Imaging Agents with Enhanced Photothermal and Radiosensitizing Properties

The integration of multiple therapeutic and diagnostic functions into a single nanoplatform for image-guided cancer therapy has been an emerging trend in nanomedicine. We show here that multifunctional theranostic nanostructures consisting of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) scaffolded within graphene oxide nanoflakes (GO-SPIO-Au NFs) can be used for dual photo/radiotherapy by virtue of the near-infrared (NIR) absorbance of GO for photothermal therapy (PTT) and the Z element radiosensitization of AuNPs for enhanced radiation therapy (RT). At the same time, this nanoplatform can also be detected by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging because of the presence of SPIO NPs. Using a mouse carcinoma model, GO-SPIO-Au NF-mediated combined PTT/RT exhibited a 1.85-fold and 1.44-fold higher therapeutic efficacy compared to either NF-mediated PTT or RT alone, respectively, resulting in a complete eradication of tumors. As a sensitive multifunctional theranostic platform, GO-SPIO-Au NFs appear to be a promising nanomaterial for enhanced cancer imaging and therapy.

Cell membrane coated smart two-dimensional supraparticle for in vivo homotypic cancer targeting and enhanced combinational theranostics

Development of intelligent and multifunctional nanoparticle for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has drawn great attention recently. In this work, we design a smart two-dimensional (2D) supraparticle for tumor targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/photothermal imaging (PTI) and chemo/photothermal therapy (PTT). Methods: The nanoparticle consists of a manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanosheet coated gold nanorod (GNR) core (loading with chemotherapeutics doxorubicin (DOX)), and cancer cell membrane shell (denoted as CM-DOX-GMNPs). Decoration of cell membrane endows the nanoparticle with greatly improved colloidal stability and homotypic cancer cell targeting ability. Once the nanoparticles enter tumor cells, MnO2 nanosheets can be etched to Mn2+ by glutathione (GSH) and acidic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the cytosol, leading to the release of DOX. Meanwhile, stimuli dependent releasing of Mn2+ can act as MRI contrast agent for tumor diagnosis. Illumination with near-infrared (NIR) light, photothermal conversion effect of GNRs can be activated for synergistic cancer therapy. Results:In vivo results illustrate that the CM-DOX-GMNPs display tumor specific MRI/PTI ability and excellent inhibition effect on tumor growth. Conclusion: This bioinspired nanoparticle presents an effective and intelligent approach for tumor imaging and therapy, affording valuable guidance for the rational design of robust theranostics nanoplatform.

Chemo-Photothermal Combination Cancer Therapy with ROS Scavenging, Extracellular Matrix Depletion, and Tumor Immune Activation by Telmisartan and Diselenide-Paclitaxel Prodrug Loaded Nanoparticles

Extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulating in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is generated by tumor-associated fibroblasts. It can elevate interstitial fluid pressure and form dense barriers in tumor tissues. Consequently, nanocarriers are hindered from permeating into deeper tumor sites. Thus, the programmed drug-releasing nanoparticles, G(TM)PPSP, were developed for TME remodeling and breast cancer therapy. Gelatin nanoparticles were linked with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) to obtain G(TM)PPSP with a size of 214.0 ± 5.0 nm. Telmisartan (TM) was loaded in gelatin nanoparticles. Paclitaxel (PTX) was attached to PtNPs via a dual redox responsive diselenide bond. TM release was mediated by MMP-2 because of gelatin degradation in TME, and then intracellular PTX was released because of diselenide linkage fracture triggered by ROS or glutathione. ECM was depleted owing to TGF-β downregulation by TM and direct ablation by the photothermal effect of PtNPs. 4T1 tumor progression was inhibited by PTX chemotherapy, intracellular ROS scavenging of PtNPs, and photothermal therapy (PTT). The tumor spheroid penetration assay proved G(TM)PPSP could permeate into deep tumor regions when MMP-2 existed. In vivo antitumor experiments implied G(TM)PPSP with PTT could inhibit tumor growth effectively and remodel TME via ECM depletion and immunity activation, indicating the potential of G(TM)PPSP-based chemo-photothermal combination therapy for breast cancer treatment.

Porous Pt nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin to enable synergistic Chemo-/Electrodynamic Therapy

Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is responsible for pumping chemotherapeutic drugs out of tumor cells, has been recognized as an important cause of drug resistance in conventional chemotherapy. Herein, porous platinum nanoparticles (pPt NPs) are developed to enable the combined electrodynamic therapy (EDT) with chemotherapy. With polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating, the obtained pPt-PEG NPs could be loaded with anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) by utilizing the porous structure of pPt NPs. Those pPt-PEG NPs are able to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) by triggering water decomposition under electric field, independent of O₂ and H₂O₂ contents in the tumor. Furthermore, the ROS generated during EDT could induce the inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), in turn enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents by facilitating intracellular accumulation of drugs. As the results, excellent synergetic therapeutic effects were observed by combining chemotherapy with EDT using DOX-loaded pPt (DOX@pPt-PEG) NPs, as demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. This study demonstrates a new concept of combinational cancer therapy with superior therapeutic efficacy.

Janus Ag/Ag2S beads as efficient photothermal agents for the eradication of inflammation and artery stenosis

Janus heterostructural materials as photothermal agents with enhanced optical conversion capability are promising for artery inflammation treatment by the hyperthermia of macrophages, a primordial part in the artery inflammation response that can deteriorate into atherosclerosis and even break the vessels. Herein, a synthesis route of Janus Ag/Ag₂S beads with hydrophilic ligands has been developed with a precise control over concentration, time and surface functionalization. These Ag/Ag₂S heterodimers show desirable sizes of around 90 nm in diameter, in which Ag nanocrystals have a diameter of around 25 nm, and they exhibit a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 50.0% as well as relatively low biotoxicity and good biocompatibility. Importantly, the as-prepared Janus Ag/Ag₂S beads with a high biological safety can be effectively swallowed by macrophages and have a remarkable benefit of eliminating these cells from the original state of artery inflammation through the excellent photothermal effect of this material, without causing any further damage to the arteries and major organs in vivo. This study further promotes the development of treatment for vascular inflammation by the photothermal melting of macrophage cells in intima environments.

Antiangiogenesis-Combined Photothermal Therapy in the Second Near-Infrared Window at Laser Powers Below the Skin Tolerance Threshold

Photothermal agents with strong light absorption in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region (1000-1350 nm) are strongly desired for successful photothermal therapy (PTT). In this work, titania-coated Au nanobipyramids (NBP@TiO₂) with a strong plasmon resonance in the NIR-II window were synthesized. The NBP@TiO₂ nanostructures have a high photothermal conversion efficiency of (93.3 ± 5.2)% under 1064-nm laser irradiation. They are also capable for loading an anticancer drug combretastatin A-4 phosphate (CA4P). In vitro PTT studies reveal that 1064-nm laser irradiation can efficiently ablate human lung cancer A549 cells and enhance the anticancer effect of CA4P. Moreover, the CA4P-loaded NBP@TiO₂ nanostructures combined with PTT induce a synergistic antiangiogenesis effect. In vivo studies show that such CA4P-loaded NBP@TiO₂ nanostructures under mild 1064-nm laser irradiation at an optical power density of 0.4 W cm^-2, which is lower than the skin tolerance threshold value, exhibit a superior antitumor effect. This work presents not only the development of the NBP@TiO₂ nanostructures as a novel photothermal agent responsive in the NIR-II window but also a unique combined chemo-photothermal therapy strategy for cancer therapy.

Plasmonic Photothermal Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Recent advances of plasmonic nanoparticles include fascinating developments in the fields of energy, catalyst chemistry, optics, biotechnology, and medicine. The plasmonic photothermal properties of metallic nanoparticles are of enormous interest in biomedical fields because of their strong and tunable optical response and the capability to manipulate the photothermal effect by an external light source. To date, most biomedical applications using photothermal nanoparticles have focused on photothermal therapy; however, to fully realize the potential of these particles for clinical and other applications, the fundamental properties of photothermal nanoparticles need to be better understood and controlled, and the photothermal effect-based diagnosis, treatment, and theranostics should be thoroughly explored. This Progress Report summarizes recent advances in the understanding and applications of plasmonic photothermal nanoparticles, particularly for sensing, imaging, therapy, and drug delivery, and discusses the future directions of these fields.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Current Trends and Future Aspects in Diagnostics and Nanomedicine

Background:

Biomedical applications of Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) are creating a major impact on disease diagnosis and nanomedicine or a combined platform called theranostics. A significant progress has been made to engineer novel and hybrid MNPs for their multifunctional modalities such as imaging, biosensors, chemotherapeutic or photothermal and antimicrobial agents. MNPs are successfully applied in biomedical applications due to their unique and tunable properties such as superparamagnetism, stability, and biocompatibility. Approval of ferumoxytol (feraheme) for MRI and the fact that several Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) are currently undergoing clinical trials have paved a path for future MNPs formulations. Intensive research is being carried out in designing and developing novel nanohybrids for multiple applications in nanomedicine.

Objective:

The objective of the present review is to summarize recent developments of MNPs in imaging modalities like MRI, CT, PET and PA, biosensors and nanomedicine including their role in targeting and drug delivery. Relevant theory and examples of the use of MNPs in these applications have been cited and discussed to create a thorough understanding of the developments in this field.

Conclusion:

MNPs have found widespread use as contrast agents in imaging modalities, as tools for bio-sensing, and as therapeutic and theranostics agents. Multiple formulations of MNPs are in clinical testing and may be accepted in clinical settings in near future.

Photothermal conversion hydrogel based mini-eye patch for relieving dry eye with long-term use of the light-emitting screen

Purpose: The frequent usage of various lighting screens has made dry eye syndrome an increasingly serious phenomenon. To relieve this global problem, we have developed a photothermal conversion hydrogel based mini-eye patch. Methods: Gold nanoparticles (GNRs) were synthesized by a seed-mediated method, and then used as the inner cores to grow palladium (Pd) shell by PdCl42-reduction. Then, gelatin was added to prepare GNRs @ Pd hydrogel eye patch by genipin cross-linking. We implanted temperature sensitive ink (complex composed of amino resin and styrene maleic anhydride copolymer) in the eye patch, which could change color at different temperatures. Heating performance of the eye patch was accessed with an infrared temperature profile and the circulating temperature experiment. The safety assessment of the eye patch was conducted by H&E staining of the mouse's eyelid skin and CCK-8 assay. A Keratograph 5M noninvasive ocular surface analyzer was used to assess the impact of eye patches on dry eyes. Results: It was found that GNRs @ Pd hydrogel eye patches could sense various visible light and responded by heating up spontaneously. Results from the CCK-8 assay and H&E staining showed that the eye patch has good safety performance. Measurements of the first noninvasive tear break-up time (NITBUT), the average NITBUT, the tear meniscus height (TMH), combined with red eye analysis, further demonstrated the patch's eye-protective properties. Conclusion: After being pasted to the lacrimal gland, the hydrogel patch converted various light irradiations into heat and stimulated the lacrimal gland to produce more tears to relieve dry eye. The built-in temperature-sensitive ink can play an important role in warning people of their excessive eye usage. Because this recyclable strategy does not interfere with normal eye use, it is thus more environmentally friendly and convenient than ordinary infrared eyewear.

Pore-tuning to boost the electrocatalytic activity of polymeric micelle-templated mesoporous Pd nanoparticles

Understanding how mesoporous noble metal architectures affect electrocatalytic performance is very important for the rational design and preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts. Herein, by using polymeric micelle-assembled structures as templates, mesoporous Pd nanoparticles with tunable porous constructions are synthesized by simply tuning the solvent compositions. The effect of porous Pd nanoparticles on the electrocatalytic performance is thoroughly studied. Their superior electrocatalytic activity can be attributed to the mass transport efficiency and open porous structures.

Near-Infrared Responsive Bimetallic Nanovesicles for Enhanced Synergistic Chemophotothermal Therapy

Limited therapeutic effects and obvious side effects are two critical problems affecting tumor therapy. Herein, we designed an ingenious nanocarrier, platinum/gold bimetallic-nanoshell-coated triptolide liposomes (Pt@Au-TP-Lips), to achieve enhanced chemophotothermal therapy against cancer. Compared to conventional gold nanoflower structures, the platinum/gold bimetallic (Pt@Au) core-shells exhibited broader near-infrared (NIR) absorption due to the ultrastrong plasmonic coupling effect. With NIR light irradiation, the Pt@Au nanostructure could efficiently and sustainably convert light energy into substantial heat. The ultrahigh photothermal conversion efficiency (56.5%) of Pt@Au-TP-Lips was significantly higher than that of gold nanoflowers (35.7%). Specifically, hyperthermia could induce a phase change in the liposome membrane to accelerate the release of triptolide (TP); meanwhile, it could ablate tumor cells directly and facilitate the cellular uptake of drugs to enhance chemotherapy. More importantly, owing to the cooperation of TP and platinum, Pt@Au-TP-Lips exhibited significant tumor growth suppression with a high inhibitory rate of 90.7%, achieving superior chemophotothermal combination therapy. This work provides new insight into the development of a cooperative theranostic agent for oncotherapy.

Au Nanobottles with Synthetically Tunable Overall and Opening Sizes for Chemo-Photothermal Combined Therapy

Highly asymmetric Au nanostructures, such as split Au nanorings and Au nanocups, exhibit attractive plasmonic properties because of their asymmetric geometries. To facilitate their plasmonic applications, effective and facile synthetic methods for producing asymmetric Au nanostructures with controllable sizes and uniform shapes are highly desirable. Herein, we report on an approach for the synthesis of largely asymmetric colloidal Au nanobottles with synthetically tunable overall and opening sizes. Au nanobottles with overall sizes in the range of ∼100-230 nm are obtained through sacrificial templating with differently sized PbS nano-octahedra. The opening sizes of the produced Au nanobottles can be tailored from ∼10 to ∼120 nm by either adjusting the Au/PbS molar ratio in the growth process or controlling the oxidation degree. The achieved size tunability allows the plasmon resonance wavelength of Au nanobottles to be varied in the range of ∼600-900 nm. Our uniform Au nanobottles, which possess controllable sizes, large cavity volumes, and tunable plasmon resonance wavelengths in the visible to near-infrared range, have been further applied for anticancer drug delivery and photothermal therapy. The effects of surface coating and the opening size of Au nanobottles on the drug encapsulation efficiency (EE) and initial burst drug release are systemically evaluated. A high doxorubicin EE and low initial burst drug release are realized with the dense silica-coated Au nanobottles having an opening size of 44 nm. In addition, chemo-photothermal combined therapy has been demonstrated with the doxorubicin-loaded Au nanobottles. Our results will be helpful for the design of Au nanobottles with different sizes and plasmonic properties as well as provide ample opportunities for exploring various plasmon-enabled applications of Au nanobottles.

Multifunctional NIR-responsive poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-Cu-Sb-S nanotheranostic agent for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal/photodynamic therapy

Ternary copper-based chalcogenide nanomaterials have become rather attractive due to the near-infrared (NIR) response in cancer theranostic fields. However, it is still challenging to further improve the theranostic efficiency of these nanomaterials. Herein, Cu-Sb-S nanoparticles (NPs) around 24 nm are synthesized facilely and functionalized with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). Under the NIR irradiation, the resultant PVP-Cu-Sb-S NPs exhibit a relatively high photothermal conversion efficiency of 53.16% and a simultaneous reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation effect. Due to these outstanding photothermal/photodynamic effects, excellent tumor ablation results can be achieved by the combination of PVP-Cu-Sb-S NPs and 808 nm NIR laser treatments without obvious side effect. In addition, they show remarkable contrast enhancement according to in vitro and in vivo photoacoustic (PA) imaging. These PVP-Cu-Sb-S NPs could be served as a multifunctional nanotheranostic agent for PA imaging, photothermal/photodynamic cancer therapy.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Highly theranostic efficiency ternary copper-based chalcogenide nanomaterials has not been fully developed yet. Herein we report the PVP-Cu-Sb-S nanoparticles (NPs) with relatively high photothermal efficiency, simultaneous reactive oxygen species generation effect and photoacoustic imaging capability. The photothermal conversion efficiency of PVP-Cu-Sb-S NPs is higher than most of copper-based chalcogenide nanomaterials reported before. These findings provide a new kind of ternary copper-based chalcogenide with an enhanced theranostic effect, which could be served as a promising multifunctional nanotheranostic agent in the field of biomedical application.

Multi-layered tumor-targeting photothermal-doxorubicin releasing nanotubes eradicate tumors in vivo with negligible systemic toxicity

Multi-layered single-walled carbon nanotubes, termed SWNT@BSA@Au-S-PEG-FA@DOX, which integrate photothermal therapy with small molecule drug delivery, were prepared using a facile layer-by-layer assembly process. Oxidized and cut single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to provide abundant active sites for the nucleation of Au seeds, which are subsequently converted into gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) by in situ reduction. The resulting SWNT@BSA@Au material exhibits ideal photothermal properties. Further modification of the nanomaterial with folic acid terminated-polyglycol (FA-PEG-SH) and subsequent loading with doxorubicin (DOX) afford the SWNT@BSA@Au-S-PEG-FA@DOX. The FA terminated PEG endows the material with high water-dispersibility, biocompatibility and cancer cell selectivity. A high drug loading ratio for DOX of up to 590% was achieved, with the drug release being pH and temperature dependent, adding to the selectivity of the system. High efficacy of the SWNT@BSA@Au-S-PEG-FA@DOX material, when combined with photothermal therapy (irradiation of the tumor with an 808 nm laser, 1 W cm-2 for 5 min, 24 h after systemic injection of the nanomedicine), was demonstrated in vivo, resulting in complete tumor eradication. Remarkably, the side effects are negligible with only minor damage to normal tissues including the liver and kidneys being observed.

Natural Humic-Acid-Based Phototheranostic Agent

Humic acids, a major constituent of natural organic carbon resources, are naturally formed through the microbial biodegradation of animal and plant residues. Due to numerous physiologically active groups (phenol, carboxyl, and quinone), the biomedical applications of humic acid have been already investigated across different cultures for several centuries or even longer. In this work, sodium humate, the sodium salt of humic acid, is explored as phototheranostic agent for light-induced photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy based on intrinsic absorption in the near-infrared region. The purified colloidal sodium humate exhibits a high photothermal conversion efficiency up to 76.3%, much higher than that of the majority of state-of-the-art photothermal agents including gold nanorods, Cu₉ S₅ nanoparticles, antimonene quantum dots, and black phosphorus quantum dots, leading to obvious photoacoustic enhancement in vitro and in vivo. Besides, highly effective photothermal ablation of HeLa tumor is achieved through intratumoral injection. Impressively, sodium humate reveals ultralow toxicity at the cellular and animal levels. This work promises the great potential of humic acids as light-mediated theranostic agents, thus expanding the application scope of traditional humic acids in biomedical field.

Erythrocyte–platelet hybrid membranes coating polypyrrol nanoparticles for enhanced delivery and photothermal therapy

A dual-membrane coating technique was developed to camouflage polypyrrole nanoparticles with red blood cells and platelet membranes for enhanced delivery and photothermal tumor therapy.

Octopod PtCu Nanoframe for Dual-Modal Imaging-Guided Synergistic Photothermal Radiotherapy

Heavy atom nanoparticles have high X-ray absorption capacity and near infrared (NIR) photothermal conversion efficiency, which could be used as radio-sensitizers. We hypothesized that concave PtCu octopod nanoframes (OPCNs) would be an efficient nanoplatform for synergistic radio-photothermal tumor ablation.

Methods: In this study, we newly exploited a folic acid-receptor (FR) mediated photothermal radiotherapy nanoagent base on OPCNs. OPCNs were synthesized with a hydrothermal method and then modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and folic acid (FA). A series of physical and chemical characterizations, cytotoxicity, targeting potential, endocytosis mechanism, biodistribution, systematic toxicological evaluation, pharmacokinetics, applications of OPCNs-PEG-FA for in vitro and in vivo infrared thermal imaging (ITI)/photoacoustic imaging (PAI) dual-modal imaging and synergistic photothermal radiotherapy against tumor were carried out.

Results: The OPCNs-PEG-FA demonstrated good biocompatibility, strong NIR absorption and X-ray radio-sensitization, which enabling it to track and visualize tumor in vivo via ITI/PAI dual-modal imaging. Moreover, the as-synthesized OPCNs-PEG-FA exhibited remarkable photothermal therapy (PTT) and radiotherapy (RT) synergistic tumor inhibition when treated with NIR laser and X-ray.

Conclusion: A novel multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform based on OPCNs was designed and developed for dual-modal image-guided synergistic tumor photothermal radiotherapy.

Titania-coated gold nanorods as an effective carrier for gambogic acid

Titania-coated gold nanorods were used as a carrier for gambogic acid, and the drug-loaded nanoparticles show an enhanced anticancer effect.