Targeting carbon nanotubes based on IGF-1R for photothermal therapy of orthotopic pancreatic cancer guided by optical imaging

Therapeutic and diagnostic applications of carbon nanotubes in cancer: recent advances and challenges

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon, composed of carbon atoms forming a tube-like structure. Their high surface area, chemical stability, and rich electronic polyaromatic structure facilitate their drug-carrying capacity. Therefore, CNTs have been intensively explored for several biomedical applications, including as a potential treatment option for cancer. By incorporating smart fabrication strategies, CNTs can be designed to specifically target cancer cells. This targeted drug delivery approach not only maximizes the therapeutic utility of CNTs but also minimizes any potential side effects of free drug molecules. CNTs can also be utilised for photothermal therapy (PTT) which uses photosensitizers to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells, and in immunotherapeutic applications. Regarding the latter, for example, CNT-based formulations can preferentially target intra-tumoural regulatory T-cells. CNTs also act as efficient antigen presenters. With their capabilities for photoacoustic, fluorescent and Raman imaging, CNTs are excellent diagnostic tools as well. Further, metallic nanoparticles, such as gold or silver nanoparticles, are combined with CNTs to create nanobiosensors to measure biological reactions. This review focuses on current knowledge about the theranostic potential of CNT, challenges associated with their large-scale production, their possible side effects and important parameters to consider when exploring their clinical usage.

Near-Infrared Conjugated Polymers Containing Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Units Enable Enhanced Photothermal Therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) using near-infrared (NIR) conjugated polymers as photosensitizers has exhibited enormous potential for tumor treatment. However, most NIR conjugated polymers have poor therapeutic efficacy due to their faint absorbance in the NIR region and low photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE). Herein, a valuable strategy for designing NIR polymeric photosensitizer PEKBs with an enhanced PCE accompanied by strong NIR absorbance is proposed by means of inserting TPA-AQ as a thermally activated delayed fluorescence unit into a polymeric backbone. In these PEKBs, PEKB-244 with the appropriate molar content of the TPA-AQ unit displays the strongest NIR absorbance and the highest PCE of 64.5%. Theoretical calculation results demonstrate that the TPA-AQ unit in the polymeric backbone can modulate the intramolecular charge transfer effects and the excited energy decay routes for generating higher heat. The prepared nanoparticles (PEKB-244 NPs) exhibit remarkable photothermal conversion capacities and great biocompatibility in aqueous solutions. Moreover, PEKB-244 NPs also show outstanding photothermal stability, displaying negligible changes in the absorbance within 808 nm irradiation of 1 h (800 mW cm-2). Both in vitro and in vivo experimental results further indicate that PEKB-244 NPs can substantially kill cancer cells under NIR laser irradiation. We anticipate that this novel molecular design strategy can be employed to develop excellent NIR photosensitizers for cancer photothermal therapy.

Photothermal therapy of papillary thyroid cancer tumor xenografts with targeted thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are being widely investigated in multiple biomedical applications including, and not limited to, drug delivery, gene therapy, imaging, biosensing, and tissue engineering. Their large surface area and aspect ratio in addition to their unique structural, optical properties, and thermal conductivity also make them potent candidates for novel hyperthermia therapy. Here we introduce thyroid hormone stimulating receptor (TSHR) antibody–conjugate–MWCNT formulation as an enhanced tumor targeting and light-absorbing device for the photoablation of xenografted BCPAP papillary thyroid cancer tumors. To ensure successful photothermal tumor ablation, we determined three key criteria that needed to be addressed: (1) predictive pre-operational modeling; (2) real-time monitoring of the tumor ablation process; and (3) post-operational follow-up to assess the efficacy and ensure complete response with minimal side effects. A COMSOL-based model of spatial temperature distributions of MWCNTs upon selected laser irradiation of the tumor was prepared to accurately predict the internal tumor temperature. This modeling ensured that 4.5W of total laser power delivered over 2 min, would cause an increase of tumor temperature above 45 ℃, and be needed to completely ablate the tumor while minimizing the damage to neighboring tissues. Experimentally, our temperature monitoring results were in line with our predictive modeling, with effective tumor photoablation leading to a significantly reduced post 5-week tumor recurrence using the TSHR-targeted MWCNTs. Ultimately, the results from this study support a utility for photosensitive biologically modified MWCNTs as a cancer therapeutic modality. Further studies will assist with the transition of photothermal therapy from preclinical studies to clinical evaluations.

Nanoparticles in pancreatic cancer therapy: a detailed and elaborated review on patent literature

INTRODUCTION

Nanotechnology may open up new avenues for overcoming the challenges of pancreatic cancer therapy as a broad arsenal of anticancer medicines fail to realize their full therapeutic potential in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma due to the formation of multiple resistance mechanisms inside the tumor. Many studies have reported the successful use of various nano formulations in pancreatic cancer therapy.

AREAS COVERED

This review covers all the major nanotechnology-based patent litrature available on renowned patent data bases like Patentscope and Espacenet, through the time period of 2007-2022. This is an entirely patent centric review, and it includes both clinical and non-clinical data available on nanotechnology-based therapeutics and diagnostic tools for pancreatic cancer.

EXPERT OPINION

For the sake of understanding, the patents are categorized under various formulation-specific heads like metallic/non-metallic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, carbon nanotubes, protein nanoparticles and liposomes. This distinguishes one specific nanoparticle type from another and makes this review a one-of-a-kind comprehensive patent compilation that has not been reported so far in the history of nanotechnological formulations in pancreatic cancer.

Research progress on carbon materials in tumor photothermal therapy

At present, cancer remains one of the leading causes of human death worldwide, and surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are still the main methods of cancer treatment. However, these treatments have their drawbacks. Surgical treatment often struggles with the complete removal of tumor tissue, leading to a high risk of cancer recurrence. Additionally, chemotherapy drugs have a significant impact on overall health and can easily result in drug resistance. The high risk and mortality of cancer and other reasons promote scientific researchers to unremittingly develop and find a more accurate and faster diagnosis strategy and effective cancer treatment method. Photothermal therapy, which utilizes near-infrared light, offers deeper tissue penetration and minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissues. Compared to conventional radiotherapy and other treatment methods, photothermal therapy boasts several advantages, including high efficiency, non-invasiveness, simplicity, minimal toxicity, and fewer side effects. Photothermal nanomaterials can be categorized as either organic or inorganic materials. This review primarily focuses on the behavior of carbon materials as inorganic materials and their role in tumor photothermal treatment. Furthermore, the challenges faced by carbon materials in photothermal treatment are discussed.

A Recent Review on Cancer Nanomedicine

Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and is the second major cause of death in the United States. Despite the continuous efforts to understand tumor mechanisms and various approaches taken for treatment over decades, no significant improvements have been observed in cancer therapy. Lack of tumor specificity, dose-related toxicity, low bioavailability, and lack of stability of chemotherapeutics are major hindrances to cancer treatment. Nanomedicine has drawn the attention of many researchers due to its potential for tumor-specific delivery while minimizing unwanted side effects. The application of these nanoparticles is not limited to just therapeutic uses; some of them have shown to have extremely promising diagnostic potential. In this review, we describe and compare various types of nanoparticles and their role in advancing cancer treatment. We further highlight various nanoformulations currently approved for cancer therapy as well as under different phases of clinical trials. Finally, we discuss the prospect of nanomedicine in cancer management.

Recent Advances in Well-Designed Therapeutic Nanosystems for the Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treatment Dilemma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis and low survival rate. Due to its inconspicuous symptoms, PDAC is difficult to diagnose early. Most patients are diagnosed in the middle and late stages, losing the opportunity for surgery. Chemotherapy is the main treatment in clinical practice and improves the survival of patients to some extent. However, the improved prognosis is associated with higher side effects, and the overall prognosis is far from satisfactory. In addition to resistance to chemotherapy, PDAC is significantly resistant to targeted therapy and immunotherapy. The failure of multiple treatment modalities indicates great dilemmas in treating PDAC, including high molecular heterogeneity, high drug resistance, an immunosuppressive microenvironment, and a dense matrix. Nanomedicine shows great potential to overcome the therapeutic barriers of PDAC. Through the careful design and rational modification of nanomaterials, multifunctional intelligent nanosystems can be obtained. These nanosystems can adapt to the environment's needs and compensate for conventional treatments' shortcomings. This review is focused on recent advances in the use of well-designed nanosystems in different therapeutic modalities to overcome the PDAC treatment dilemma, including a variety of novel therapeutic modalities. Finally, these nanosystems' bottlenecks in treating PDAC and the prospect of future clinical translation are briefly discussed.

Optical imaging technology realizes early tumor diagnosis by detecting angiogenesis

The occurrence and development of blood vessels play a key role in different stages of tumor growth, while current imaging techniques are difficult to detect early tumor angiogenesis because of their low sensitivity. Therefore, this article introduces high-sensitivity optical imaging technology to achieve early tumor diagnosis by detecting tumor angiogenesis. Liver and pancreatic tumor models in nude mice were respectively established to represent tumors with a rich or poor blood supply. The two optical imaging methods, in vivo confocal fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging, were used to detect tumor angiogenesis at different stages. Finally, the changes in blood vessels were verified by immunostaining. Both autoluminescence imaging and pathological staining confirmed that these two tumor models were successfully established. In vivo confocal fluorescence imaging found that the early tumor blood vessel structure had obvious characteristics: disorder, tortuous deformation, thin diameter, which were significantly different from the normal tissues. Photoacoustic imaging could effectively identify blood vessels inside early tumors, which were small and disordered and might be used as one of the predictors of early tumor development. CD31 immunostaining was used to evaluate the vascular status of tumors at different stages and under different blood supply conditions. The vascular structures observed under the microscope in the two tumor models were consistent with the results observed by optical imaging methods. The optical imaging methods could monitor the characteristics of angiogenesis in the rich or poor blood supply tumors, especially the early diagnosis of tumors.

Therapeutic Strategies to Overcome Fibrotic Barriers to Nanomedicine in the Pancreatic Tumor Microenvironment

Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its dismal prognosis. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect theory posits that nanomedicines (therapeutics in the size range of approximately 10-200 nm) selectively accumulate in tumors. Nanomedicine has thus been suggested to be the "magic bullet"-both effective and safe-to treat pancreatic cancer. However, the densely fibrotic tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer impedes nanomedicine delivery. The EPR effect is thus insufficient to achieve a significant therapeutic effect. Intratumoral fibrosis is chiefly driven by aberrantly activated fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix (ECM) components secreted. Fibroblast and ECM abnormalities offer various potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this review, we detail the diverse strategies being tested to overcome the fibrotic barriers to nanomedicine in pancreatic cancer. Strategies that target the fibrotic tissue/process are discussed first, which are followed by strategies to optimize nanomedicine design. We provide an overview of how a deeper understanding, increasingly at single-cell resolution, of fibroblast biology is revealing the complex role of the fibrotic stroma in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and consider the therapeutic implications. Finally, we discuss critical gaps in our understanding and how we might better formulate strategies to successfully overcome the fibrotic barriers in pancreatic cancer.

Functionalized Carbon Nanoparticles as Theranostic Agents and Their Future Clinical Utility in Oncology

Over the years, research of nanoparticle applications in pre-clinical and clinical applications has greatly advanced our therapeutic and imaging approaches to many diseases, most notably neoplastic disorders. In particular, the innate properties of inorganic nanomaterials, such as gold and iron oxide, as well as carbon-based nanoparticles, have provided the greatest opportunities in cancer theranostics. Carbon nanoparticles can be used as carriers of biological agents to enhance the therapeutic index at a tumor site. Alternatively, they can also be combined with external stimuli, such as light, to induce irreversible physical damaging effects on cells. In this review, the recent advances in carbon nanoparticles and their use in cancer theranostics will be discussed. In addition, the set of evaluations that will be required during their transition from laboratory investigations toward clinical trials will be addressed.

Targeting Tumor-Associated Macrophages for Imaging

As an important component of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) occupy a significant niche in tumor margin aggregation and respond to changes in the TIME. Thus, targeting TAMs is important for tumor monitoring, surgical guidance and efficacy evaluation. Continuously developing nanoprobes and imaging agents paves the way toward targeting TAMs for precise imaging and diagnosis. This review summarizes the commonly used nanomaterials for TAM targeting imaging probes, including metal-based nanoprobes (iron, manganese, gold, silver), fluorine-19-based nanoprobes, radiolabeled agents, near-infrared fluorescence dyes and ultrasonic nanobubbles. Additionally, the prospects and challenges of designing nanomaterials for imaging and diagnosis (targeting efficiency, pharmacokinetics, and surgery guidance) are described in this review. Notwithstanding, TAM-targeting nanoplatforms provide great potential for imaging, diagnosis and therapy with a greater possibility of clinical transformation.

Nanostructures as Photothermal Agents in Tumor Treatment

Traditional methods of tumor treatment such as surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have certain limitations, and their treatment effects are not always satisfactory. As a new tumor treatment method, photothermal therapy based on nanostructures has attracted the attention of researchers due to its characteristics of minimally invasive, low side effects, and inhibition of cancer metastasis. In recent years, there has been a variety of inorganic or organic nanostructures used in the field of photothermal tumor treatment, and they have shown great application prospects. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of nanomaterials/nanostructures as photothermal agents (PTAs) for photothermal therapy as well as their research progress are reviewed. For the sake of clarity, the recently reported nanomaterials/nanostructures for photothermal therapy of tumor are classified into five main categories, i.e., carbon nanostructures, noble metal nanostructures, transition metal sulfides, organic polymer, and other nanostructures. In addition, future perspectives or challenges in the related field are discussed.

Nanoparticles-based phototherapy systems for cancer treatment: Current status and clinical potential

Remarkable progress in phototherapy has been made in recent decades, due to its non-invasiveness and instant therapeutic efficacy. In addition, with the rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, phototherapy systems based on nanoparticles or nanocomposites also evolved as an emerging hotspot in nanomedicine research, especially in cancer. In this review, first we briefly introduce the history of phototherapy, and the mechanisms of phototherapy in cancer treatment. Then, we summarize the representative development over the past three to five years in nanoparticle-based phototherapy and highlight the design of the innovative nanoparticles thereof. Finally, we discuss the feasibility and the potential of the nanoparticle-based phototherapy systems in clinical anticancer therapeutic applications, aiming to predict future research directions in this field. Our review is a tutorial work, aiming at providing useful insights to researchers in the field of nanotechnology, nanoscience and cancer.

MnO2 doped graphene nanosheets for carotid body tumor combination therapy

Combination therapy is a cornerstone of tumor therapy, which can make up for the shortcomings of a single treatment and improve the cure rate of cancer. Near infrared induced therapy is widely applied owing to good accessibility, safety profile, and a wide range of effectiveness. Here, we use reduced nanographene oxide (rNGO) sheets with MnO₂ nanoparticles as a photothermal agent to trigger further photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy. Doxorubicin (DOX, chemotherapeutic agent) and methyl blue (MB, photosensitizer) are loaded onto graphene oxide through a strong physical bond and rapidly released under high temperature. Besides, MnO₂ nanoparticles can catalyze hydrogen peroxide inside of tumor and produce oxygen as a raw material for photodynamic therapy. In vitro experiments illustrated an effective ablation of PC-12 cells by rGO@MnO₂/MB/Dox incubation combined with 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser radiation. For in vivo experiments in a model of carotid body tumor, rGO@MnO₂/MB/Dox was locally injected, followed by 808 nm NIR laser irradiation. We found that the number of tumor cells was significantly reduced, the tumor volume was reduced, and there were no side effects. This may provide a new idea for the combination treatment of carotid body tumor.

Application of carbon nanotubes in sensing/monitoring of pancreas and liver cancer

Liver and pancreatic tumors are among the third leading causes of cancer-associated death worldwide. In addition to poor prognosis, both cancer types are diagnosed at advanced and metastatic stages without typical prior symptoms. Unfortunately, the existing theranostic approaches are inefficient in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted increasing attention in this context due to their distinct properties, including variable functionalization capability, biocompatibility, and excellent thermodynamic and optical features. As a consequence, they are now regarded as one of the most promising materials for this application. The current review aims to summarize and discuss the role of CNT in pancreatic and liver cancer theranostics. Accordingly, the breakthroughs achieved so far are classified based on the cancer type and analyzed in detail. The most feasible tactics utilizing CNT-based solutions for both cancer diagnosis and treatment are presented from the biomedical point of view. Finally, a future outlook is provided, which anticipates how the R&D community can build on the already developed methodologies and the subsequent biological responses of the pancreatic and liver cancer cells to the directed procedures.

Photothermal conversion and transfer in photothermal therapy: From macroscale to nanoscale

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising alternative therapy for benign or even malignant tumors. To improve the selective heating of tumor cells, target-specific photothermal conversion agents are often included, especially nanoparticles. Meanwhile, some indirect methods by manipulating the radiation and heat delivery are also adopted. Therefore, to gain a clear understanding of the mechanism, and to improve the controllability of PTT, a few issues need to be clarified, including bioheat and radiation transfer, localized and collective heating of nanoparticles, etc. In this review, we provide an introduction to the typical bioheat transfer and radiation transfer models along with the dynamic thermophysical properties of biological tissue. On this basis, we reviewed the most recent advances in the temperature control methods in PTT from macroscale to nanoscale. Most importantly, a comprehensive introduction of the localized and collective heating effects of nanoparticle clusters is provided to give a clear insight into the mechanism for PPT from the microscale and nanoscale point of view.

Long-circulation zwitterionic dendrimer nanodrugs for phototherapy of tumors

The development of stealth and effective antitumor nanodrugs has been drawing great attention. Herein, generation five poly(amide amine) dendrimer (G5 PAMAM) was modified by zwitterionic material carboxybetaine methacrylamide (CBMAA) on its surface to prepare zwitterionic dendrimer (G5-CBMAA_n). The results showed that G5-CBMAA₃₀ had the longest blood circulation time due to its thickest zwitterionic layer, and its residual rate after injection into mice at 2 and 12 h was as high as 47.22 % and 14.37 %, respectively. Nanodrug G5-CBMAA₃₀-ICG was prepared by containing indocyanine green (ICG) in the cavity of G5-CBMAA₃₀. G5-CBMAA₃₀-ICG had better tumor targeting ability and antitumor effect than free ICG in mice after laser irradiation, and the tumor inhibition rate was 96.6 % after 14 days' treatment. The prepared G5-CBMAA₃₀-ICG has great potential applications in the field of antitumor by phototherapy.

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.

Decreasing hyaluronic acid combined with drug-loaded nanoprobes improve the delivery and efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive system, and its clinical treatment is still very challenging. Most of the pancreatic cancer chemotherapeutic drugs have poor plasma stability, low cell uptake efficiency, and are prone to developing drug resistance and toxic side effects. Besides, pancreatic cancer often has a dense extracellular matrix, which consists of collagens, hyaluronic acid, and other proteoglycans. Among them, hyaluronic acid is a key component of the dense matrix, which results in vascular compression and insufficient perfusion, and hinders the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we explore using hyaluronidase in tumor-bearing mice to eliminate the hyaluronic acid barrier, to reduce blood vessel compression and reshape the tumor microenvironment. In addition, we evaluate using doxorubicin-loaded nanoprobes to improve the stability and local tumor-killing effect of the drug. The nanoprobes have the characteristics of near-infrared optical imaging, which are used to monitor the tumor size in real-time during the treatment process, and dynamically observe the tumor inhibitory effect. The results show that elimination of the hyaluronic acid barrier combined with the doxorubicin-loaded nanoprobes can greatly increase drug penetration into tumor tissue and improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. This study provides a novel strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Carbon nanomaterials as emerging nanotherapeutic platforms to tackle the rising tide of cancer - A review

Cancer has become one of the main reasons for human death in recent years. Around 18 million new cancer cases and approximately 9.6 million deaths from cancer reported in 2018, and the annual number of cancer cases will have increased to 22 million in the next two decades. These alarming facts have rekindled researchers' attention to develop and apply different approaches for cancer therapy. Unfortunately, most of the applied methods for cancer therapy not only have adverse side effects like toxicity and damage of healthy cells but also have a short lifetime. To this end, introducing innovative and effective methods for cancer therapy is vital and necessary. Among different potential materials, carbon nanomaterials can cope with the rising threats of cancer. Due to unique physicochemical properties of different carbon nanomaterials including carbon, fullerene, carbon dots, graphite, single-walled carbon nanotube and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, they exhibit possibilities to address the drawbacks for cancer therapy. Carbon nanomaterials are prodigious materials due to their ability in drug delivery or remedial of small molecules. Functionalization of carbon nanomaterials can improve the cancer therapy process and decrement the side effects. These exceptional traits make carbon nanomaterials as versatile and prevalent materials for application in cancer therapy. This article spotlights the recent findings in cancer therapy using carbon nanomaterials (2015-till now). Different types of carbon nanomaterials and their utilization in cancer therapy were highlighted. The plausible mechanisms for the action of carbon nanomaterials in cancer therapy were elucidated and the advantages and disadvantages of each material were also illustrated. Finally, the current problems and future challenges for cancer therapy based on carbon nanomaterials were discussed.

Near infrared photothermal conversion materials: mechanism, preparation, and photothermal cancer therapy applications

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been widely applied in cancer therapy as a result of its non-invasive, localized treatment and good therapeutic effect. In general, the final therapeutic effect of PTT mainly depends on the photothermal materials, which can be further considered to be determined by the photothermal conversion efficiency, biocompatibility, and photothermal stability of photothermal materials. In this review, photothermal materials including inorganic materials, organic materials, and organic-inorganic composite materials in recent years have been summarized in terms of the mechanism, preparation, and cancer therapy applications. In the end, the perspectives and obstacles in their further development are overviewed.

A natural anthocyanin-based multifunctional theranostic agent for dual-modal imaging and photothermal anti-tumor therapy

Nowadays, cancer is one of the most serious diseases threatening the health of human beings, and imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) is rapidly emerging as a potent oncotherapy strategy due to its unique advantages of high efficiency, noninvasiveness, visualization, and accuracy. In this study, a multifunctional nanoplatform based on gadolinium ion chelated natural anthocyanins (ACNs) is reported, which can be used not only as an excellent photoacoustic/magnetic resonance (PA/MR) dual-modal contrast agent but also for imaging-guided tumor PTT. The nanoparticles obtained have a suitable size, good dispersity, and physiological stability. The excellent biocompatibility and remarkable photothermal effect of the nanoparticles in vitro were demonstrated by CCK-8 assays and co-staining experiments. Moreover, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI) results obtained in vivo showed that the nanoparticles were ideal dual-modal contrast agents whether given by intravenous or intratumoral injection. After intratumoral injection, the dual-modal PAI/MRI was used for determining the maximum diffusion time of the probe in the tumor site to guide laser treatment, achieving complete tumor elimination without normal tissue injury. Importantly, ACN is a natural compound extracted from black carrots, possessing native biocompatibility and biodegradability, which was further proved by the results of the detailed safety evaluation. Overall, the as-prepared nanoparticles displayed significant tumor diagnosis and treatment effects while mitigating biosafety concerns, and thus this was found to be a promising nanotherapeutic method for cancer treatment.

Recent Progress on NIR-II Photothermal Therapy

Photothermal therapy is a very promising treatment method in the field of cancer therapy. The photothermal nanomaterials in near-infrared region (NIR-I, 750-900 nm) attracts extensive attention in recent years because of the good biological penetration of NIR light. However, the penetration depth is still not enough for solid tumors due to high tissue scattering. The light in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) allows deeper tissue penetration, higher upper limit of radiation and greater tissue tolerance than that in the NIR-I, and it shows greater application potential in photothermal conversion. This review summarizes the photothermal properties of Au nanomaterials, two-dimensional materials, metal oxide sulfides and polymers in the NIR-II and their application prospects in photothermal therapy. It will arouse the interest of scientists in the field of cancer treatment as well as nanomedicine.

Recent Advances in Nanoparticle-Mediated Diagnosis and the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the most lethal solid tumors in humans, has a five-year survival rate of only 4%. Surgical treatment is the only accepted therapy with curative intent because the vast majority of these tumors are chemoresistant. Unfortunately, due to the aggressive nature of these tumors, fewer than 20% are resectable when the first symptoms occur. Novel therapies are required to overcome all these therapeutic issues, and the development of active nanocarriers represents an exciting opportunity to improve PC outcomes. The present review focuses on recent advances in the field of nanotechnology with application in PC treatment.

Nanoparticles as a Tool in Neuro-Oncology Theranostics

The rapid growth of nanotechnology and the development of novel nanomaterials with unique physicochemical characteristics provides potential for the utility of nanomaterials in theranostics, including neuroimaging, for identifying neurodegenerative changes or central nervous system malignancy. Here we present a systematic and thorough review of the current evidence pertaining to the imaging characteristics of various nanomaterials, their associated toxicity profiles, and mechanisms for enhancing tropism in an effort to demonstrate the utility of nanoparticles as an imaging tool in neuro-oncology. Particular attention is given to carbon-based and metal oxide nanoparticles and their theranostic utility in MRI, CT, photoacoustic imaging, PET imaging, fluorescent and NIR fluorescent imaging, and SPECT imaging.

Nanomaterials and their composite scaffolds for photothermal therapy and tissue engineering applications

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted broad attention as a promising method for cancer therapy with less severe side effects than conventional radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgical resection. PTT relies on the photoconversion capacity of photothermal agents (PTAs), and a wide variety of nanomaterials have been employed as PTAs for cancer therapy due to their excellent photothermal properties. The PTAs are systematically or locally administered and become enriched in cancer cells to increase ablation efficiency. In recent years, PTAs and three-dimensional scaffolds have been hybridized to realize the local delivery of PTAs for the repeated ablation of cancer cells. Meanwhile, the composite scaffolds can stimulate the reconstruction and regeneration of the functional tissues and organs after ablation of cancer cells. A variety of composite scaffolds of photothermal nanomaterials have been prepared to combine the advantages of different modalities to maximize their therapeutic efficacy with minimal side effects. The synergistic effects make the composite scaffolds attractive for biomedical applications. This review summarizes these latest advances and discusses the future prospects.

Biomarkers in Pancreatic Cancer as Analytic Targets for Nanomediated Imaging and Therapy

As the increase in therapeutic and imaging technologies is swiftly improving survival chances for cancer patients, pancreatic cancer (PC) still has a grim prognosis and a rising incidence. Practically everything distinguishing for this type of malignancy makes it challenging to treat: no approved method for early detection, extended asymptomatic state, limited treatment options, poor chemotherapy response and dense tumor stroma that impedes drug delivery. We provide a narrative review of our main findings in the field of nanoparticle directed treatment for PC, with a focus on biomarker targeted delivery. By reducing drug toxicity, increasing their tumor accumulation, ability to modulate tumor microenvironment and even improve imaging contrast, it seems that nanotechnology may one day give hope for better outcome in pancreatic cancer. Further conjugating nanoparticles with biomarkers that are overexpressed amplifies the benefits mentioned, with potential increase in survival and treatment response.

Carbon Based Nanodots in Early Diagnosis of Cancer

Detection of cancer at an early stage is one of the principal factors associated with successful treatment outcome. However, current diagnostic methods are not capable of making sensitive and robust cancer diagnosis. Nanotechnology based products exhibit unique physical, optical and electrical properties that can be useful in diagnosis. These nanotech-enabled diagnostic representatives have proved to be generally more capable and consistent; as they selectively accumulated in the tumor site due to their miniscule size. This article rotates around the conventional imaging techniques, the use of carbon based nanodots viz Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs), Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs), Nanodiamonds, Fullerene, and Carbon Nanotubes that have been synthesized in recent years, along with the discovery of a wide range of biomarkers to identify cancer at early stage. Early detection of cancer using nanoconstructs is anticipated to be a distinct reality in the coming years.

Mannose modified zwitterionic polyester-conjugated second near-infrared organic fluorophore for targeted photothermal therapy

Cancer resistance has been the huge challenge to clinical treatment. A photothermal therapy of second near-infrared (NIR-II) organic dye small molecule has been used to conquer the cancer resistance. However, the available NIR-II dye lacks selectivity and spreads throughout the body. It has toxicity and indiscriminate burn injuries normal cells and tissues during therapy. Hence, to improve the therapeutic outcomes, herein, for the first time, we report the mannose-modified zwitterionic nanoparticles loading IR1048 dye, aiming to overcome cancer cellular resistance. The targeting molecule mannose has been applied to modify zwitterionic polyester, and the obtained polyester is employed to load IR1048 to prolong the circulation time in the blood and improve the stability of loaded dye, due to the good cytocompatibility of polyester and the antifouling properties of zwitterions. In vitro experimental results show that the pH-responsive targeted nanoparticles display satisfactory photophysical properties, prominent photothermal conversion efficiency (44.07%), excellent photothermal stability, negligible cytotoxicity for normal cells and strong photothermal toxicity to drug-resistant cancer cells. Moreover, due to the mannose targeting effect, cancer cells can endocytose the nanoparticles effectively. All these results demonstrate potential application of this alternative hyperthermal delivery system with remote-controllable photothermal therapy of tumor for accurate diagnosis by NIR-II fluorescence imaging.

Injectable hydrogel-mediated combination of hyperthermia ablation and photo-enhanced chemotherapy in the NIR-II window for tumor eradication

Local administration of therapeutic agents with long-term retention capabilities efficiently avoids nonspecific distribution in normal organs with an increased drug concentration in pathological tissue. Herein, we developed an injectable and degradable alginate-calcium (Ca2+) hydrogel for the local administration of corn-like Au/Ag nanorods (NRs) and doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl). The immobilized Au/Ag NRs with strong absorbance in the near-infrared II (NIR-II) window efficiently ablated the majority of tumor cells after 1064 nm laser irradiation and triggered the release of DOX to kill residual tumor cells. As a result, injectable hydrogel-mediated NIR-II photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy efficiently inhibited tumor growth, resulting in the complete eradication of tumors in most of the treated mice. Furthermore, owing to the confinement of the Au/Ag NRs and DOX·HCl within the hydrogel, such treatment exhibited excellent biocompatibility.

Tailor-Made Nanomaterials for Diagnosis and Therapy of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide due to its aggressiveness and the challenge to early diagnosis and treatment. In recent decades, nanomaterials have received increasing attention for diagnosis and therapy of PDAC. However, these designs are mainly focused on the macroscopic tumor therapeutic effect, while the crucial nano-bio interactions in the heterogeneous microenvironment of PDAC remain poorly understood. As a result, the majority of potent nanomedicines show limited performance in ameliorating PDAC in clinical translation. Therefore, exploiting the unique nature of the PDAC by detecting potential biomarkers together with a deep understanding of nano-bio interactions that occur in the tumor microenvironment is pivotal to the design of PDAC-tailored effective nanomedicine. This review will introduce tailor-made nanomaterials-enabled laboratory tests and advanced noninvasive imaging technologies for early and accurate diagnosis of PDAC. Moreover, the fabrication of a myriad of tailor-made nanomaterials for various PDAC therapeutic modalities will be reviewed. Furthermore, much preferred theranostic multifunctional nanomaterials for imaging-guided therapies of PDAC will be elaborated. Lastly, the prospects of these nanomaterials in terms of clinical translation and potential breakthroughs will be briefly discussed.

Investigating the toxicology of intramuscular injected multiwalled carbon nanotubes conjugated antibody (CNT-Ab) in mice followed by microwave hyperthermia

Carbon nanotubes bound to tumor specific antibodies offer specific treatment for cancer cells without affecting surrounding tissue. The present study seeks to affirm the initial results of CNTs in cancer therapy by investigating the toxicological effect in mice injected with CNT-Ab followed by microwave hypothermia. We were particularly interested in evaluating the biodistribution, toxicity, and immune response that may be elicited from CNT-Ab exposure in mice. 4–5 week old mice (C57BL/6) were injected with various concentrations and combinations of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) conjugated with specific prostate-specific membrane antigen (PMSA) antibodies. After 1-week post-injection, mice were sacrificed followed by the collection of blood separated into serum, liver, kidney and other tissues for further analysis. Serum total protein concentration across the treatment groups was varied. No significant changes in albumin levels were detected when compared to the control group (No Treatment). Group YE (.125 mg/ml anti-PSMA-MWCNT + Microwave) was found to have consistently high blood serum analyte levels, indicating impaired liver and kidney function. Likewise, groups YB (Microwave only), YF [.5 mg/ml anti-PSMA-MWCNT (No Microwave)], and YG (.5 mg/ml plain MWCNT + Microwave) seemed to show indications of impaired liver function. Analysis of gene expression revealed a significant impact on the NF-KB inflammatory response pathway. NF-KB gene was up-regulated relative to controls in all treatment groups. These results seem to suggest marginal toxicity from the injection of CNT-Ab followed by microwave hyperthermia in mice subjects.

Photothermal effect and cytotoxicity of CuS nanoflowers deposited over folic acid conjugated nanographene oxide

Herein, we present the rational synthesis of a multimode photothermal agent, NGO-FA-CuS, for the advancement of photothermal therapy of cancer. The hierarchical architecture created in NGO-FA-CuS was attained by the covalent conjugation of folic acid (FA) to nanographene oxide (NGO) through amide bonding, followed by the hydrothermal deposition of CuS nanoflowers. In this approach, instead of mere mixing or deposition, FA was covalently bonded to NGO, which helped in retaining their intrinsic properties after binding and allowed to access them in the resulting hybrid nanostructure. In this specifically designed photothermal agent, NGO-FA-CuS, each component has an explicit task, i.e., NGO, FA and CuS act as the quencher, cancer cell-targeting moiety and photothermal transduction agent, respectively. Prior to the grafting of FA molecules and the deposition of CuS nanoflowers, sulfonic acid groups were introduced into NGO to provide stability under physiological conditions. Under irradiation using a 980 nm laser, NGO-FA-CuS was able to attain a temperature of 63.1 °C within 5 min, which is far beyond the survival temperature for cancer cells. Therefore, the resulting temperature recorded for NGO-FA-CuS was sufficient to induce hyperthermia in cancer cells to cause their death. When coming into contact with cancer cells, NGO-FA-CuS can cause a rapid increase in the temperature of their nucleus, destroy the genetic substances, and ultimately lead to exhaustive apoptosis under illumination using a near-infrared (NIR) laser. An excellent photothermal efficiency of 46.2% under illumination using a 980 nm laser and outstanding cytotoxicity against HeLa, SKOV3 and KB cells were attained with NGO-FA-CuS. Moreover, NGO-FA-CuS displays exceptional persistent photo-stability without photo-corrosiveness. The photothermal effect of NGO-FA-CuS was found to be dependent on its concentration and the power density of the laser source. It was found that its cytotoxicity toward cancer cells was enhanced with an increase in the concentration of NGO-FA-CuS and the incubation period.

Advances in Hollow Inorganic Nanomedicines for Photothermal-Based Therapies

Nanotechnology has prompted the development of hollow inorganic nanomedicine. These medicines are now widely investigated as photothermal-based therapies for various diseases due to their high loading capacity, tuneable wavelength, relatively small size and low density. We begin this review with a brief introduction, followed by a summary of the development of imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) for cancer treatment during the last three years (from 2017 to 2020). We then introduce the antibacterial effects of these medicines on some bacterial infections, in which the pathogenic bacteria can be killed by mild photothermal effects, ions and antibiotic release. Other diseases can also be treated using hollow inorganic photothermal agents. Specifically, we discuss the use of PTT for treating Alzheimer's disease, obesity and endometriosis. Finally, we share our perspectives on the current challenges and future prospects of using hollow inorganic materials in clinical PTT for various diseases.

Nanomaterial-Based Tumor Photothermal Immunotherapy

In recent years, photothermal therapy (PTT) particularly nanomaterial-based PTT is a promising therapeutic modality and technique for cancer tumor ablation. In addition to killing tumor cells directly through heat, PTT also can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) to activate the whole-body anti-tumor immune response, including the redistribution and activation of immune effector cells, the expression and secretion of cytokines and the transformation of memory T lymphocytes. When used in combination with immunotherapy, the efficacy of nanomaterial-based PTT can be improved. This article summarized the mechanism of nanomaterial-based PTT against cancer and how nanomaterial-based PTT impacts the tumor microenvironment and induces an immune response. Moreover, we reviewed recent advances of nanomaterial-based photothermal immunotherapy and discussed challenges and future outlook.

Recent advances in nanoscale materials for antibody-based cancer theranostics

The quest for advanced management tools or options of various cancers has been on the rise to efficiently reduce their risks of mortality without the demerits of conventional treatments (e.g., undesirable side effects of the medications on non-target tissues, non-targeted distribution, slow clearance of the administered drugs, and the development of drug resistance over the duration of therapy). In this context, nanomaterials-antibody conjugates can offer numerous advantages in the development of cancer theranostics over conventional delivery systems (e.g., highly specific and enhanced biodistribution of the drug in targeted tissues, prolonged systemic circulation, low toxicity, and minimally invasive molecular imaging). This review comprehensively discusses and evaluates recent advances in the application of nanomaterial-antibody bioconjugates for cancer theranostics for the further advancement in the control of diverse cancerous diseases. Further, discussion is expanded to cover the various challenges and limitations associated with the design and development of nanomaterial-antibody conjugates applicable towards better management of cancer.

Zebrafish: A Promising Model for Evaluating the Toxicity of Carbon Dot-Based Nanomaterials

Carbon dots (CDs) exhibit a wide range of desirable properties including excellent photoluminescence, photostability, and water solubility, making them ideally suitable for use in the context of drug delivery, bioimaging, and related biomedical applications. Before these CDs can be translated for use in humans, however, further research regarding their in vivo toxicity is required. Owing to their low cost, rapid growth, and significant homology to humans, zebrafish (Danio rerio) are commonly employed as in vivo model systems in the toxicity studies of nanomaterials. In the present report, our group employed a hydrothermal approach to synthesize CDs and then assessed their toxicity in zebrafish. The resultant CDs were roughly 2.4 nm spheroid particles that emitted strong blue fluorescence in response to the excitation at 365 nm. These CDs did not induce any evident embryonic toxicity or did cause any apparent teratogenic effects during hatching or development when dosed at 150 μg/mL. However, significant effects were observed in zebrafish embryos at CD concentrations >200 μg/mL, including pericardial and yolk sac edema, delayed growth, spinal cord flexure, and death. These high CD concentrations were further associated with the reduction in zebrafish larval locomotor activity and decreased dopamine levels, reduced frequencies of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive dopaminergic neurons, and multiple organ damage. Further studies will be required to fully understand the mechanistic basis for CD-mediated neurotoxicity, with such studies being essential to fully understand the translational potential of these unique nanomaterials.

Remotely Activated Nanoparticles for Anticancer Therapy

Cancer has nowadays become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Conventional anticancer approaches are associated with different limitations. Therefore, innovative methodologies are being investigated, and several researchers propose the use of remotely activated nanoparticles to trigger cancer cell death. The idea is to conjugate two different components, i.e., an external physical input and nanoparticles. Both are given in a harmless dose that once combined together act synergistically to therapeutically treat the cell or tissue of interest, thus also limiting the negative outcomes for the surrounding tissues. Tuning both the properties of the nanomaterial and the involved triggering stimulus, it is possible furthermore to achieve not only a therapeutic effect, but also a powerful platform for imaging at the same time, obtaining a nano-theranostic application. In the present review, we highlight the role of nanoparticles as therapeutic or theranostic tools, thus excluding the cases where a molecular drug is activated. We thus present many examples where the highly cytotoxic power only derives from the active interaction between different physical inputs and nanoparticles. We perform a special focus on mechanical waves responding nanoparticles, in which remotely activated nanoparticles directly become therapeutic agents without the need of the administration of chemotherapeutics or sonosensitizing drugs.

Physical and Chemical Factors Influencing the Printability of Hydrogel-based Extrusion Bioinks

Bioprinting researchers agree that "printability" is a key characteristic for bioink development, but neither the meaning of the term nor the best way to experimentally measure it has been established. Furthermore, little is known with respect to the underlying mechanisms which determine a bioink's printability. A thorough understanding of these mechanisms is key to the intentional design of new bioinks. For the purposes of this review, the domain of printability is defined as the bioink requirements which are unique to bioprinting and occur during the printing process. Within this domain, the different aspects of printability and the factors which influence them are reviewed. The extrudability, filament classification, shape fidelity, and printing accuracy of bioinks are examined in detail with respect to their rheological properties, chemical structure, and printing parameters. These relationships are discussed and areas where further research is needed, are identified. This review serves to aid the bioink development process, which will continue to play a major role in the successes and failures of bioprinting, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine going forward.

Carbon nanoparticles suspension injection for photothermal therapy of xenografted human thyroid carcinoma in vivo

Due to the unique structure, carbon nanomaterials could convert near‐infrared (NIR) light into heat efficiently in tumor ablation using photothermal therapy (PTT). Carbon nanoparticles suspension injection (CNSI) is a commercial imaging reagent for lymph node mapping. CNSI has similar structural characteristics to other carbon nanomaterials, and thus, might be applied as photothermal agent. Herein, we evaluated the photothermal conversion ability and therapeutic effects of CNSI on thyroid carcinoma. CNSI was composed by carbon nanoparticle cores and polyvinylpyrrolidone K30 as the dispersion reagent. CNSI absorbed NIR light efficiently following the Lambert‐Beer law. The temperature of CNSI dispersion increased quickly under the NIR irradiation. CNSI killed the TCP‐1 thyroid carcinoma cells under 808 nm laser irradiation at 0.5 W/cm², while CNSI or NIR irradiation treatment alone did not demonstrate this effect. Temperature increases were observed in tumor injected with CNSI under NIR irradiation. After three irradiation treatments, the tumor growth was completely blocked and the disruption of cellular structure was observed. When the tumor temperatures reached 53^°C during treatment, the tumors did not recur within the observation period of 3 months. Our results suggested that CNSI might be used for PTT through “off label” use to benefit the patients immediately.

Zoledronate and SPIO dual-targeting nanoparticles loaded with ICG for photothermal therapy of breast cancer tibial metastasis

Currently, nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer photothermal therapy (PTT) have limited in vivo clearance, lack targeting ability and have unsatisfactory therapeutic efficiency. Herein, we report a dual-targeting and photothermally triggered nanotherapeutic system based on superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) and indocyanine green (ICG)-entrapped poly-lactide-co-glycolide modified by ZOL (PLGA-ZOL) NPs (ICG/Fe3O4@PLGA-ZOL) for PTT of breast cancer tibial metastasis, which occurs frequently in the clinic and causes challenging complications in breast cancer. In this system, both ICG and Fe3O4 can convert light into heat, while NPs with Fe3O4 and ZOL can be attracted to a specific location in bone under an external magnetic field. Specifically, the dual-targeting and double photothermal agents guaranteed high accumulation in the tibia and perfect PTT efficiency. Furthermore, the in vivo studies showed that ICG/Fe3O4@PLGA-ZOL NPs have extraordinary antitumor therapeutic effects and that these NPs can be accurately located in the medullary cavity of the tibia to solve problems with deep lesions, such as breast cancer tibial metastasis, showing great potential for cancer theranostics.

Iron(II) phthalocyanine Loaded and AS1411 Aptamer Targeting Nanoparticles: A Nanocomplex for Dual Modal Imaging and Photothermal Therapy of Breast Cancer

Purpose

A multi-functional nanoplatform with diagnostic imaging and targeted treatment functions has aroused much interest in the nanomedical research field and has been paid more attention in the field of tumor diagnosis and treatment. However, some existing nano-contrast agents have encountered difficulties in different aspects during clinical promotion, such as complicated preparation process and low specificity. Therefore, it is urgent to find a nanocomplex with good targeting effect, high biocompatibility and significant therapeutic effect for the integration of diagnosis and treatment and clinical transformation.

Materials and Methods

Nanoparticles (NPs) targeting breast cancer were synthesized by phacoemulsification which had liquid fluorocarbon perfluoropentane(PFP) in the core and were loaded with Iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) on the shell. The aptamer (APT) AS1411 was outside the shell used as a molecular probe. Basic characterization and targeting abilities of the NPs were tested, and their cytotoxicity and biological safety in vivo were evaluated through CCK-8 assay and blood bio-chemical analysis. The photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound (US) imaging system were used to assess the effects of AS1411-PLGA@FePc@PFP (A-FP NPs) as dual modal contrast agent in vitro and in vivo. The effects of photothermal therapy (PTT) in vitro and in vivo were evaluated through MCF-7 cells and tumor-bearing nude mouse models.

Results

A-FP NPs, with good stability, great biocompatibility and low toxicity, were of 201.87 ± 1.60 nm in diameter, and have an active targeting effect on breast cancer cells and tissues. With the help of PA/US imaging, it was proved to be an excellent dual modal contrast agent for diagnosis and guidance of targeted therapy. Meanwhile, it can heat up under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation and has achieved obvious antitumor effect both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Conclusion

As a kind of nanomedicine, A-FP NPs can be used in the integration of diagnosis and treatment. The treatment effects and biocompatibility in vivo may provide new thoughts in the clinical transformation of nanomedicine and early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Facile synthesis of hollow mesoporous nickel sulfide nanoparticles for highly efficient combinatorial photothermal-chemotherapy of cancer

Traditional techniques for the synthesis of nickel sulfide (NiS) nanoparticles (NPs) always present drawbacks of morphological irregularity, non-porous structure and poor long-term stability, which are extremely unfavorable for establishing effective therapeutic agents. Here, a category of hollow mesoporous NiS (hm-NiS) NPs with uniform spherical structure and good aqueous dispersity were innovatively developed based on a modified solvothermal reaction technique. Upon the successful synthesis of hm-NiS NPs, dopamine was seeded and in situ polymerized into polydopamine (PDA) on the NP surface, followed by functionalization with thiol-polyethylene glycol (SH-PEG) and encapsulation of the chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (DOX), to form hm-NiS@PDA/PEG/DOX (NiPPD) NPs. The resultant NiPPD NPs exhibited a decent photothermal response and stability, attributed to the optical absorption of the hm-NiS nanocore and PDA layer in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Furthermore, stimulus-responsive drug release was achieved under both acidic pH conditions and NIR laser irradiation, owing to the protonation of -NH₂ groups in the DOX molecules and local thermal shock, respectively. Lastly, a strong combinatorial photothermal-chemotherapeutic effect was demonstrated for tumor suppression with minimal systemic toxicity in vivo. Collectively, this state-of-the-art paradigm may provide useful insights to deepen the application of hm-NiS NPs for disease management and precision medicine.