ALA/Ag2S/MnO2 Hybrid Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared Image-Guided Long-Wavelength Phototherapy of Breast Cancer

Diagnosis and treatment status of inoperable locally advanced breast cancer and the application value of inorganic nanomaterials

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a heterogeneous group of breast cancer that accounts for 10-30% of breast cancer cases. Despite the ongoing development of current treatment methods, LABC remains a severe and complex public health concern around the world, thus prompting the urgent requirement for innovative diagnosis and treatment strategies. The primary treatment challenges are inoperable clinical status and ineffective local control methods. With the rapid advancement of nanotechnology, inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) exhibit a potential application prospect in diagnosing and treating breast cancer. Due to the unique inherent characteristics of INPs, different functions can be performed via appropriate modifications and constructions, thus making them suitable for different imaging technology strategies and treatment schemes. INPs can improve the efficacy of conventional local radiotherapy treatment. In the face of inoperable LABC, INPs have proposed new local therapeutic methods and fostered the evolution of novel strategies such as photothermal and photodynamic therapy, magnetothermal therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and multifunctional inorganic nanoplatform. This article reviews the advances of INPs in local accurate imaging and breast cancer treatment and offers insights to overcome the existing clinical difficulties in LABC management.

Self-Assembled Nanoflowers Realizes Synergistic Sterilization with Photothermal and Chemical Kinetics Therapy

Wounds caused by bacterial infections have become a major challenge in the medical field; however, the overuse of antibiotics has led to increased resistance and bioaccumulation. Therefore, it is urgent to develop an antibacterial agent with excellent antibacterial properties and biosafety. Here, we designed an antibacterial platform that combines photothermal and chemical kinetics therapies. Platinum-cobalt (PtCo) bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) were first prepared, and then PtCo@MnO2 nanoflowers were obtained by adding MES buffer solution and KMnO4 to the PtCo bimetallic nanoparticle suspension using ultrasound. When light strikes metal NPs, they can strongly absorb the photon energy, resulting in photothermal properties. In addition, Pt and Co were used as the oxidase mimics, and MnO2 was used as the catalase mimic. In summary, the photothermal capacity of PtCo@MnO2 nanoflowers with rough surfaces can effectively disrupt the permeability of the bacterial cell membranes. Further, by catalyzing H2O2, PtCo@MnO2 nanoflowers can generate large amounts of hydroxyl free radicals, which can damage bacterial cell membranes, proteins, and DNA. In addition, MnO2 can effectively alleviate the hypoxic environment of the bacterially infected areas and activate deep bacteria, thus achieving the goal of complete sterilization. The in vitro and in vivo results showed that PtCo@MnO2 displayed excellent antibacterial properties and good biocompatibility.