Nd3+ sensitized core-shell-shell nanocomposites loaded with IR806 dye for photothermal therapy and up-conversion luminescence imaging by a single wavelength NIR light irradiation

A FRET Based Composite Sensing Material Based on UCNPs and Rhodamine Derivative for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Fe3

The existence of excessive concentration of iron ion (Fe3+) in water will do harm to the environment and biology. Presently, sensitive and selective determination of Fe3+ directly in real environment samples is still a challenging job because of the high complexity of the sample matrix. In this work, we reported a new sensor system for Fe3+ based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to Rhodamine derivative probe (RhB). The NaYF4: Yb, Er@SiO2@P(NIPAM-co-RhB) nanocomposites was constructed, in which PNIPAm was used as the probe carrier. The nanocomposites can not only be excited by infrared light to avoid the interference of background light in the Fe3+ detection process, but also enhance the detection signal output through temperature control. Under the optimum conditions, the RSD (Relative standard deviation) of actual sample measurements ranges was from 1.95% to 4.96%, with the recovery rate from 97.4% to 103.3%, which showed high reliability for Fe3+ detection. This work could be extended to sensing other target ions or molecules and may promote the widespread use of FRET technique.

Engineered rare-earth nanomaterials for fluorescence imaging and therapy

Early diagnosis and treatment are of great significance for hindering the progression of brain disease. The limited effects of available treatments and poor prognosis are currently the most pressing problems faced by clinicians and their patients. Therefore, developing new diagnosis and treatment programs for brain diseases is urgently needed. Near-infrared (NIR)-light-responsive, lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) provide great advantages both in diagnosis and therapy. Hence, we synthesised nanoparticles comprised of a UCNPs core with surface functionalization. UCNPs@Au was used for NIR fluorescence imaging in the brain and inhibiting the growth of mouse glioma 261 (GL261) cells depending on photothermal properties. In addition, a UCNPs core and a mesoporous silica layer as the outer shell with a tannic acid-Al3+ ions (TA-Al) complex as a "gatekeeper" were used for pH-triggered doxorubicin/small interfering ribonucleic acid delivery in vitro. Based on our preliminary results, we expect to develop more multifunctional nanoscale diagnostic and therapeutic agents based on UCNPs for the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and brain tumours.

Achieving photostability in dye-sensitized upconverting nanoparticles and their use in Fenton type photocatalysis

Dye sensitization is a promising approach to enhance the luminescence of lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles. However, the poor photostability of near-infrared dyes hampers their use in practical applications. To address this, commercial IR820 was modified for improved photostability and covalently bonded to amine-functionalized silica-coated LnUCNPs. Two methods of covalent linking were investigated: linking the dye to the surface of the silica shell, and embedding the dye within the silica shell. The photostability of the dyes when embedded in the silica shell exhibited upconversion emissions from NaGdF4:Er3+,Yb3+/NaGdF4:Yb3+ nanoparticles for over four hours of continuous excitation with no change in intensity. To highlight this improvement, the photostable dye-embedded system was successfully utilized for Fenton-type photocatalysis, emphasizing its potential for practical applications. Overall, this study presents a facile strategy to circumvent the overlooked limitations associated with photodegradation, opening up new possibilities for the use of dye-sensitized lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles in a range of fields.

DUCNP@Mn-MOF/FOE as a Highly Selective and Bioavailable Drug Delivery System for Synergistic Combination Cancer Therapy

Heterostructures comprising lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (DUCNPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging as promising nanosystems for integrating medical diagnosis and treatment. Here, the DUCNP@Mn-MOF nanocarrier was developed, which showed good efficiency for loading and delivering a cytotoxic antitumor agent (3-F-10-OH-evodiamine, FOE). The combined advantages of the pH-responsive and peroxidase-like properties of Mn-MOF and the unique optical features of DUCNPs granted the DUCNP@Mn-MOF/FOE system synergistic chemodynamic and chemotherapeutic effects. The DUCNP@Mn-MOF nanocarrier effectively overcame the intrinsic limitations of FOE, such as its unfavorable physicochemical properties and limited in vivo potency. This complexed nanosystem was responsive to the tumor microenvironment and showed excellent tumor targeting capability. Thus, DUCNP@Mn-MOF/FOE exhibited highly selective and bioavailable drug delivery properties and is promising for cancer therapy. In a mouse breast cancer model, DUCNP@Mn-MOF/FOE inhibited tumor growth without significant toxicity. Therefore, the proposed nanosystem represents a promising theragnostic platform for multimodal combination diagnosis and therapy of tumors.

Dual-mode vehicles with simultaneous thermometry and drug release properties based on hollow Y2O3:Er,Yb and Y2O2SO4:Er,Yb spheres

Employing luminescence thermometry in the biomedical field is undeniably appealing as many health conditions are accompanied by temperature changes. In this work, we show our ongoing efforts and results at designing novel vehicles for dual-mode thermometry and pH-dependent drug release based on hollow spheres. Hereby for that purpose, we exploit the hollow Y2O3 and Y2O2SO4 host materials. These two inorganic hollow phosphors were investigated and showed to have excellent upconversion Er3+-Yb3+ luminescence properties and could be effectively used as optical temperature sensors in the physiological temperature range when induced by near-infrared CW light (975 nm). Further, doxorubicin was exploited as a model anti-cancer drug to monitor the pH-dependent drug release of these materials showing that they can be used for simultaneous thermometry and drug delivery applications.

Multifunctional Nanosystems Powered Photodynamic Immunotherapy

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) with the intrinsic advantages including non-invasiveness, spatiotemporal selectivity, low side-effects, and immune activation ability has been clinically approved for the treatment of head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Nevertheless, the PDT is only a strategy for local control of primary tumor, that it is hard to remove the residual tumor cells and inhibit the tumor metastasis. Recently, various smart nanomedicine-based strategies are developed to overcome the barriers of traditional PDT including the drawbacks of traditional photosensitizers, limited tissue penetrability of light, inefficient induction of tumor cell death and tumor resistance to the therapy. More notably, a growing number of studies have focused on improving the therapeutic efficiency by eliciting host immune system with versatile nanoplatforms, which heralds a broader clinical application prospect of PDT in the future. Herein, the pathways of PDT induced-tumor destruction, especially the host immune response is summarized, and focusing on the recent progress of nanosystems-enhanced PDT through eliciting innate immunity and adaptive immunity. We expect it will provide some insights for conquering the drawbacks current PDT and expand the range of clinical application through this review.

An updated review of folate-functionalized nanocarriers: A promising ligand in cancer

The uncontrolled release of drugs in conventional drug delivery systems has led to the introduction of new nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems and the use of targeted nanocarriers for cancer treatment. These targeted nanocarriers, which consist of intelligent nanoparticles modified with targeting ligands, can deliver drugs to specified locations at the right time and reduce drug doses to prevent side effects. Folate is a suitable targeting ligand for folate receptors overexpressed on cancer cells and has shown promising results in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this review, we highlight the latest developments on the use of folate-conjugated nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Moreover, the toxicity, biocompatibility and efficacy of these nanocarriers are discussed.

Structures, plasmon-enhanced luminescence, and applications of heterostructure phosphors

Heterostructure phosphor composites have been used widely in the fields of targeted bio-probes and bio-imaging, hyperthermia treatment, photocatalysis, solar cells, and fingerprint identification. The structures, plasmon-enhanced luminescence and mechanism of metal/fluorophore heterostructure composites, such as core-shell nanocrystals, multilayers, adhesion, islands, arrays, and composite optical glass, are reviewed in detail. Their extended applications were explored widely since the surface plasmon resonance effect increased the up-conversion efficiency of fluorophores significantly. We summarize their synthesis methods, size and shape control, absorption and excitation spectra, plasmon-enhanced up-conversion luminescence, and specific applications. The most important results acquired in each case are summarized, and the main challenges that need to be overcome are discussed.

Application of lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles for cancer treatment: a review

With the excellent ability to transform near-infrared light to localized visible or UV light, thereby achieving deep tissue penetration, lanthanide ion-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) have emerged as one of the most striking nanoscale materials for more effective and safer cancer treatment. Up to now, UCNPs combined with photosensitive components have been widely used in the delivery of chemotherapy drugs, photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy. Applications in these directions are reviewed in this article. We also highlight microenvironmental tumor monitoring and precise targeted therapies. Then we briefly summarize some new trends and the existing challenges for UCNPs. We hope this review can provide new ideas for future cancer treatment based on UCNPs.

Photosensitizer-Functionalized Nanocomposites for Light-Activated Cancer Theranostics

Photosensitizers (PSs) have received significant attention recently in cancer treatment due to its theranostic capability for imaging and phototherapy. These PSs are highly responsive to light source of a suitable wavelength for image-guided cancer therapy from generated singlet oxygen and/or thermal heat. Various organic dye PSs show tremendous attenuation of tumor cells during cancer treatment. Among them, porphyrin and chlorophyll-based ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) dyes are employed for photodynamic therapy (PDT) by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals generated with 400-700 nm laser lights, which have poor tissue penetration depth. To enhance the efficacy of PDT, other light sources such as red light laser and X-ray have been suggested; nonetheless, it is still a challenging task to improve the light penetration depth for deep tumor treatment. To overcome this deficiency, near infrared (NIR) (700-900 nm) PSs, indocyanine green (ICG), and its derivatives like IR780, IR806 and IR820, have been introduced for imaging and phototherapy. These NIR PSs have been used in various cancer treatment modality by combining photothermal therapy (PTT) and/or PDT with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. In this review, we will focus on the use of different PSs showing photothermal/photodynamic response to UV-Vis or NIR-Vis light. The emphasis is a comprehensive review of recent smart design of PS-loaded nanocomposites for targeted delivery of PSs in light-activated combination cancer therapy.

Nanotheranostics for Cancer Therapy and Detection: State of the Art

Nanotheranostics, an approach of combining both diagnosis and therapy, is one of the latest advances in cancer therapy particularly. Nanocarriers designed and derived from inorganic materials such as like gold nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes have been explored for tremendous applications in this area. Similarly, nanoparticles composed of some organic material alone or in combination with inorganic nano-cargos have been developed pre-clinically and possess excellent features desired. Photothermal therapy, MRI, simultaneous imaging and delivery, and combination chemotherapy with a diagnosis are a few of the known methods exploring cancer therapy and detection at organ/tissue/molecular/sub-cellular level. This review comprises an overview of the recent reports meant for nano theranostics purposes. Targeted cancer nanotheranostics have been included for understating tumor micro-environment or cell-specific targeting approach employed. A brief account of various strategies is also included for the readers highlighting the mechanism of cancer therapy.

Highly Red Light-Emitting Erbium- and Lutetium-Doped Core-Shell Upconverting Nanoparticles Surface-Modified with PEG-Folic Acid/TCPP for Suppressing Cervical Cancer HeLa Cells

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) are viewed together as an effective method of ablating tumors. After absorbing highly tissue-penetrating near-infrared (NIR) light, UCNPs emit a shorter wavelength light (~660 nm) suitable for PDT. In this study, we designed and prepared highly red fluorescence-emitting silica-coated core-shell upconverting nanoparticles modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG5k)-folic acid and tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) (UCNPs@SiO2-NH2@FA/PEG/TCPP) as an efficient photodynamic agent for killing tumor cells. The UCNPs consisted of two simple lanthanides, erbium and lutetium, as the core and shell, respectively. The unique core-shell combination enabled the UCNPs to emit red light without green light. TCPP, folic acid, and PEG were conjugated to the outer silica layer of UCNPs as a photosensitizing agent, a ligand for tumor attachment, and a dispersing stabilizer, respectively. The prepared UCNPs of ~50 nm diameter and -34.5 mV surface potential absorbed 808 nm light and emitted ~660 nm red light. Most notably, these UCNPs were physically well dispersed and stable in the aqueous phase due to PEG attachment and were able to generate singlet oxygen (1O2) with a high efficacy. The HeLa cells were treated with each UCNP sample (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 μg/mL as a free TCPP). The results showed that the combination of UCNPs@SiO2-NH2@FA/PEG/TCPP and the 808 nm laser was significantly cytotoxic to HeLa cells, almost to the same degree as naïve TCPP plus the 660 nm laser based on MTT and Live/Dead assays. Furthermore, the UCNPs@SiO2-NH2@FA/PEG/TCPP was well internalized into HeLa cells and three-dimensional HeLa spheroids, presumably due to the surface folic acid and small size in conjunction with endocytosis and the nonspecific uptake. We believe that our UCNPs@SiO2-NH2@FA/PEG/TCPP will serve as a new platform for highly efficient and deep-penetrating photodynamic agents suitable for various tumor treatments.

Enhancing Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) Efficiency of Titania-Lanthanide Hybrid Upconversion Nanomaterials by Shortening the Donor-Acceptor Distance

Several robust titania (TiO₂) coated core/multishell trivalent lanthanide (Ln) upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) hybrid architecture designs have been reported for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer, utilizing the near-infrared (NIR) excited energy down-shifting and up-conversion chain of Nd³⁺ (λ_{793-808 nm}) → Yb³⁺ (λ_{980 nm}) → Tm³⁺(λ_{475 nm}) → TiO₂ to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) for deep tissue-penetrating oxidative cytotoxicity, e.g., NaLnF₄:Yb,Tm (Ln = Y, Gd). Herein, we demonstrate that by doping the Tm³⁺ emitter ions in the outer shell and the Nd³⁺ sensitizer ions in the core, the newly designed NaYF₄:Nd,Yb@Yb@Yb,Tm@TiO₂ hybrid UCNPs exert more ROS production than the reference NaYF₄:Yb,Tm@Yb@Nd,Yb@ TiO₂ with the Tm³⁺ ions in the core and the Nd³⁺ ions in the outer shell, upon 793 nm laser irradiation, primarily due to the shortening of the Tm³⁺-TiO₂ distance of the former with greater Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency. After coating with polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH)/polyethylene glycol folate (PEG-FA), the resulting NaYF₄:Nd,Yb@Yb@Yb,Tm@TiO₂-PAH-PEG-FA hybrid nanocomposites could be internalized in MDA-MB-231 cancer cells, which also show low dark cytotoxicity and effective photocytotoxicity upon 793 nm excitation. These nanocomposites could be further optimized and are potentially good candidates as nanotheranostics, as well as for other light-conversion applications.

Injectable and NIR-Responsive DNA-Inorganic Hybrid Hydrogels with Outstanding Photothermal Therapy

Surgical excision is one of the main treatments for malignant tumors. However, high risk of tumour recurrence is a major challenge. Near-infrared (NIR)-light-induced tumor photothermal therapy has been studied, while its clinical applications are still restricted due to the limited therapeutic effects. To address this, here, a novel NIR-light-responsive and injectable DNA-mediated upconversion and Au nanoparticle hybrid (DNA-UCNP-Au) hydrogel is developed. Due to the confined and concentrated environment induced by the interaction between adjacent DNA strands and UCNP-Au NPs, an ultrastrong photothermal effect is observed. A photothermal efficiency as high as 42.7% is realized in the hydrogel, which is superior to pristine inorganic particles. Upon direct peritumoral injection of the hydrogel and with the treatment of 808 nm laser irradiation, tumors are eradicated and no recurrence is observed. Meanwhile, there are no side effects on normal tissues due to the local treatment. Taking advantage of the high phototherapeutic effect, biocompatibility, and flexible operability in this system, a novel approach for malignant tumor therapy is demonstrated.

Sensitive detection of sulfide ions in red region based on luminescence resonance energy transfer between upconversion nanoparticles and dye-670

Many sulfides are toxic substances that easily harm the respiratory tract, therefore affecting respiratory function or damaging other organs of the body, leading to its failure. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop methods for sensitive detection of sulfur ions (S^2- ). Based on luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) theory, we report the construction of a near-infrared (NIR) excitation luminescence probe using NaGdF₄ :Yb³⁺ ,Er³⁺ @NaYF₄ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as the donor and dye-670 as the receptor for detection of S^2- . When UCNPs and dye-670 molecules were combined using ligand exchange and electrostatic attraction, LRET occurred and UCNP luminescence was quenched. When S^2- was added to the system, sulfide ions were able to destroy the double bond of the dye, inhibiting LRET and restoring UCNP luminescence. Under optimum condition, the linear range of S^2- detection was 0.65-18.2 μM, and the detection limit was 34.2 nM. This method was applied for determination of S^2- in water with satisfactory results.

Turn-on detection of glutathione S-transferase based on luminescence resonance energy transfer between near-infrared to near-infrared core-shell upconversion nanoparticles and organic dye

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a detoxification enzyme of the liver and kidney. Based on the toxicological effect of GST, it is of great significance to develop a rapid and sensitive detection method for GST. In this work, a new luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) system has been designed to detect glutathione S-transferase in the near-infrared (NIR) region by utilizing NaGdF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺@NaYF₄ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as the donor and NIR dye-806@Glutathione (IR806@GSH) as the acceptor. NaGdF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺@NaYF₄ UCNPs were synthesized by a coprecipitation method and surface modification of NOBF₄. The donor (positively charged) interacted with the acceptor (negatively charged) via electrostatic interactions to bring them into close proximity; then, LRET occurred and the luminescence was quenched. In the presence of GST, GST can specifically interact with the GSH of IR806@GSH molecule, making IR806@GSH far away from the donor surface, inhibiting the LRET, and restoring the luminescence of the UCNPs. There was a good linear relationship between the luminescence recovery intensity of UCNPs and GST concentration, ranging from 0.11 to 14.19 nM, and the detection of limit was 0.06 nM. The method has been used in the detection of GST in human serum samples and is expected to have potential applications in the biological field. Graphical abstract A luminescence resonance energy transfer system was developed for determination of glutathione S-transferase in the near-infrared region by utilizing NaGdF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺@NaYF₄ upconversion nanoparticles as the donor and NIR dye-806@Glutathione as the acceptor.

NIR-dye based mucoadhesive nanosystem for photothermal therapy in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in women, worldwide. The average survival rate of patients suffering from advanced breast cancer is about 27% for five years. Photothermal therapy employing biodegradable nanoparticle are extensively researched for enhanced anticancer therapy in breast cancer treatment. In the current study, we report a chitosan based mucoadherant and biodegradable niosome nanoparticle entrapping near infrared (NIR) dye (IR 806) for the treatment of breast cancer. Niosome entrapping IR 806 (NioIR) showed encapsulation efficacy of about 56 ± 2%. The prepared nanoparticles (NioIR) were further coated with chitosan (NioIR-C) to impart mucoadhesive property to the nanosystem. NioIR-C showed minimal degradation following NIR laser irradiation, thus enhancing its photothermal stability. They also exhibited efficient photothermal transduction, when compared with IR 806 dye. NioIR-C were biocompatible when treated with normal cell lines (NIH 3T3 and L929) and showed cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231). When triggered with NIR laser, NioIR-C showed photothermal cell death (approximately 93%). The presence of chitosan coating on NioIR led to mucoadherence potential that further enhances the therapeutic effect on breast cancer cells when compared with IR 806 dye and NioIR. Thus NioIR-C can be a promising nanosystem for effective treatment of breast cancer using photothermal therapy.

Application of rare earth-doped nanoparticles in biological imaging and tumor treatment

Rare earth-doped nanoparticles have been widely used in disease diagnosis, drug delivery, tumor therapy, and bioimaging. Among various bioimaging methods, the fluorescence imaging technology based on the rare earth-doped nanoparticles can visually display the cell activity and lesion evolution in living animals, which is a powerful tool in biological technology and has being widely applied in medical and biological fields. Especially in the band of near infrared (700–1700 nm), the emissions show the characteristics of deep penetration due to low absorption, low photon scattering, and low autofluorescence interference. Furthermore, the rare earth-doped nanoparticles can be endowed with the water solubility, biocompatibility, drug-loading ability, and the targeting ability for different tumors by surface functionalization. This confirms its potential in the cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we summarized the recent progress in the application of rare earth-doped nanoparticles in the field of bioimaging and tumor treatment. The luminescent mechanism, properties, and structure design were also discussed.

Optimising FRET-efficiency of Nd3+-sensitised upconversion nanocomposites by shortening the emitter-photosensitizer distance

Nd3+-Sensitised luminescent upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have gained interest recently as theranostics due to their near-infrared (NIR) light excitation with a better tissue penetration depth. One example is the core/shell design NaYF4:Yb,Er@Nd,Yb. When harvesting the upconversion energy in such architectures, the long emitter-photosensitizer (i.e. Er3+-PS) distances lead to inefficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Herein, we report a new nanocomposite NaYF4:Nd,Yb@Yb@Yb,Er@Y with Nd3+ ions in the core and Er3+ ions in the shell to shorten the Er-PS distance to achieve better FRET. Furthermore, an outer non-emitting protective Y3+ shell and a conducting Yb3+ shell reduced surface quenching and Er3+-to-Nd3+ energy back transfer effects, respectively. The upconversion FRET and downshifting emission efficiencies were simultaneously optimised by adjusting the thickness of the Y3+ shell, and the FRET efficiency was at least 3.7 times that of the reference NaYF4:Yb,Er@Yb@Nd,Yb@Y in a photodynamic therapy (PDT) model.

Lanthanide-Based Nanocomposites for Photothermal Therapy under Near-Infrared Laser: Relationship between Light and Heat, Biostability, and Reaction Temperature

In this research, typical organic/inorganic photothermal therapy (PTT) agents were designed with a combination of upconversion luminescent (UCL) or near-infrared (NIR) II imaging rare-earth nanomaterials for photo-acoustic (PA)/UCL/NIR II imaging-guided PTT under NIR laser irradiation. The results show the following: (1) The PTT effect mainly comes from NIR absorption and partly from UCL light conversion. (2) Visible UCL emission is mainly quenched by NIR absorption of the coated PTT agent and partly quenched by visible absorption, indicating that excitation may play a more important role than in the UCL emission process. (3) The biostability of the composite might be decided by the synthesis reaction temperature. Among the five inorganic/organic nanocomposites, UCNP@MnO₂ is the most suitable candidate for cancer diagnosis and treatment because of its stimuli-response ability to the micro-acid environment of tumor cells and highest biostability. The composites generate heat for PTT after entering the tumor cells, and then, the visible light emission gradually regains as MnO₂ is reduced to colorless Mn²⁺ ions, thereby illuminating the cancer cells after the therapy.

Investigation of biodistribution and tissue penetration of PEGylated gold nanostars and their application for photothermal cancer treatment in tumor-bearing mice

PEGylated gold nanostars (pAuNSs) and their radioactive surrogate (¹¹¹In–DTPA–pAuNS), with unique physiochemical properties, are thought to be a promising agent for image-guided photothermal therapy (PTT).

A Novel Multimodal NIR-II Nanoprobe for the Detection of Metastatic Lymph Nodes and Targeting Chemo-Photothermal Therapy in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Current surgical treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) must be as precise as possible to fully resect tumors and preserve functional tissues. Thus, it is urgent to develop efficient fluorescent probes to clearly identify tumor delineation, as well as metastatic lymph nodes. Chemo-photothermal therapy combination attracted a growing attention to increase anti-tumor effect in various types of cancer, including OSCC. In the present study, we designed a multimodal NIR-II probe that involves combining photothermal therapy with chemotherapy, imaging OSCC tumors and detecting metastatic lymph nodes. Methods: In this study, we synthesized a novel near infrared (NIR)-II probe named TQTPA [4,4'-((6,7-bis(4-(hexyloxy)phenyl)-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo [3,4-g]quinoxaline-4,9-diyl)bis(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis(N,N-diphenylaniline)] via the Suzuki reaction and prepared multimodal nanoparticles (NPs) loading TQTPA and cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (CDDP) (HT@CDDP) by hyaluronic acid. The characteristics of the NPs, including their photothermal and imaging capabilities were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Their anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated using orthotopic, tongue tumor-bearing, nude mice. Results: The NPs possessed good stability and water solubility and were pH/hyaluronidase sensitive. The good tissue penetration quality and active targeting ability enabled the NPs to draw the outline of orthotopic tongue tumors and metastatic lymph nodes as small as 1 mm in nude mice by IR-808 under NIR exposure. In vitro and in vivo experiments validated the biocompatibility and low systematic toxicity of the NPs. At the same time, the NPs acted as multimodal therapy agents, combining photothermal therapy with chemotherapy. Conclusion: With a good imaging capability and anti-tumor efficacy, our NPs successfully outlined orthotopic tongue tumors and metastatic lymph nodes as well as enabled chemo-photothermal therapy combination. Our study established a solid foundation for the application of new clinical diagnosis and treatment patterns in the future.