Calcium-carbonate packaging magnetic polydopamine nanoparticles loaded with indocyanine green for near-infrared induced photothermal/photodynamic therapy

Novel Oxygen-Deficient Zirconia (ZrO2-x) for Fluorescence/Photoacoustic Imaging-Guided Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer

Theranostic nanoplatforms that integrate therapy and diagnosis in a single composite have become increasingly attractive in the field of precise and efficient tumor treatment. Herein, a novel oxygen-deficient zirconia (ZrO_2-x) nanosystem based on the conjugation of thiol-polyethylene glycol-amine (SH-PEG-NH₂) and chlorin e6 (Ce6) was elaborately designed and established for efficacious photothermal/photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT) and fluorescence/photoacoustic (FL/PA) bimodal imaging for the first time. The crystalline-disordered, PEGylated ZrO_2-x nanoparticles (ZP NPs) displayed strong optical absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) window and were featured with significant photothermal conversion capacity. The ZP NPs were further covalently conjugated with Ce6 to form ZrO_2-x@PEG/Ce6 (ZPC) NPs, which displayed a long circulatory half-life, efficient tumor accumulation, and outstanding FL/PA imaging performance. Moreover, the nanocomposites effectively generated cytotoxic intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive to laser activation. Both cell studies and animal experiments explicitly demonstrated that ZPC NPs mediated remarkable tumor ablation with minimal systemic toxicity thanks to their tumor-specific PTT/PDT effect. Collectively, these findings may open up new avenues to broaden the application of oxygen-deficient ZrO_2-x nanostructures as high-performance photothermal agents in tumor theranostics through rational design and accurate control of their physiochemical properties.

A Dual-Model Imaging Theragnostic System Based on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cancer Phototherapy

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) show great promise to be exploited as versatile multifunctional nanocarriers for effective cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this work, perfluorohexane (PFH)-encapsulated MSNs with indocyanine green (ICG)-polydopamine (PDA) layer and poly(ethylene glycol)-folic acid coating (designated as MSNs-PFH@PDA-ICG-PEG-FA) are successfully fabricated to achieve tumor ultrasonic (US)/near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging as well as photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT). MSNs-PFH@PDA-ICG-PEG-FA exhibits good monodispersity with high ICG loading, significantly enhances ICG photostability, and greatly improves cellular uptake. Upon single 808 nm NIR irradiation, the nanocarrier not only efficiently generates hyperthermia to realize PTT, but also produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) for effective PDT. Meanwhile, NIR irradiation can trigger PFH to undergo vaporization and provide a super-resolution US image. Thus, the PTT/PDT combination therapy can be dually guided by PFH-induced US imaging and ICG-induced NIRF imaging. In vivo antitumor studies demonstrate that PTT/PDT from MSNs-PFH@PDA-ICG-PEG-FA significantly inhibits tumor growth and achieves a cure rate of 60% (three out of five mice are completely cured). Hence, the multifunctional MSNs appear to be a promising theragnostic nanoplatform for multimodal cancer imaging and therapy.

Mitochondrial targeting nano-curcumin for attenuation on PKM2 and FASN

Tumor cells are sensitive to the disturbance of mitochondrial functions. Attenuation of dysfunctional mitochondria by natural compounds is an emerging strategy for the recovery of abnormal energy metabolism of cancer. To develop a nano-sized curcumin (CUR) in attenuating the energy metabolism of cancer cells, herein, a coral-shaped nano-transporter DNA-FeS₂-DA nanoparticle was synthesized using double-stranded DNA rich in 'GAG' and 'GC' series as a template and poly-dopamine as an adhesive. CUR was successfully loaded to DNA-FeS₂-DA with a molar ratio of ssDNA: CUR of 1:16, forming CUR@DNA-FeS₂-DA. This nano-curcumin can readily enter mitochondrion in MCF-7 cancer cells. The CUR@DNA-FeS₂-DA nanocomposite displays desirable photothermal effect and stability, while its CUR can be released gradually in the weak acid environment. The expression of both pyruvate kinase M2 and fatty acid synthase in the MCF-7 cancer cells were noticeably inhibited by CUR@DNA-FeS₂-DA. Given the controlled release and mitochondria-targeting properties, this CUR@DNA-FeS₂-DA nanocomposite is a promising new drug entity for intervening the energy metabolism of cancer cells.

Light-Enhanced O2-Evolving Nanoparticles Boost Photodynamic Therapy To Elicit Antitumor Immunity

Breast cancer remains to show high mortality and poor prognosis in women despite of significant progress in recent diagnosis and treatment. Herein, we report the rational design of a highly efficient ultrasmall nanotheranostic agent with excellent photodynamic therapy (PDT) performance to against breast cancer and its metastasis by eliciting antitumor immunity. The ultrasmall nanoagent (3.1 ± 0.4 nm) was fabricated from polyethylene glycol modified Cu_{2- x}Se nanoparticles, β-cyclodextrin, and chlorin e6 under ambient conditions. The resultant nanoplatform (CS-CD-Ce6 NPs) can be passively accumulated into the tumor to exhibit dramatic antitumor efficacy through the excellent PDT effect under near-infrared irradiation. The excellent PDT performance of this nanoplatform is owing to its role as a Fenton-like Haber-Weiss catalyst for the efficient degradation of H₂O₂ within the tumor to release hydroxyl radicals (^·OH) and very toxic singlet oxygen (¹O₂) under irradiation. The generated vast amounts of reactive oxygen species not only killed primary tumor cells but also elicited immunogenic cell death (ICD) to release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and induced proinflammatory M1-macrophages polarization. Thereby, antitumor immune responses against the metastasis of breast cancer were robustly evoked. Our work demonstrates that ultrasmall Cu_{2- x}Se nanoparticle-based nanoplatform offers a promising way to prevent cancer metastasis via immunogenic effects through its excellent PDT performance.