Low-work-function LaB6 for realizing photodynamic-enhanced photothermal therapy

FeP-Based Nanotheranostic Platform for Enhanced Phototherapy/Ferroptosis/Chemodynamic Therapy

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent and lipid peroxides (LPO)-overloaded programmed damage cell death, induced by glutathione (GSH) depletion and glutathione peroxide 4 (GPX4) inactivation. However, the inadequacy of endogenous iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS) restricts the efficacy of ferroptosis. To overcome this obstacle, a near-infrared photo-responsive FeP@PEG NPs is fabricated. Exogenous iron pool can enhance the effect of ferroptosis via the depletion of GSH and further regulate GPX4 inactivation. Generation of ·OH derived from the Fenton reaction is proved by increased accumulation of lipid peroxides. The heat generated by photothermal therapy and ROS generated by photodynamic therapy can enhance cell apoptosis under near-infrared (NIR-808 nm) irradiation, as evidenced by mitochondrial dysfunction and further accumulation of lipid peroxide content. FeP@PEG NPs can significantly inhibit the growth of several types of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, which is validated by theoretical and experimental results. Meanwhile, FeP@PEG NPs show excellent T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) property. In summary, the FeP-based nanotheranostic platform for enhanced phototherapy/ferroptosis/chemodynamic therapy provides a reliable opportunity for clinical cancer theranostics.

Niobium carbide–mediated photothermal therapy for infected wound treatment

Bacterial infections of the wounds on the skin surface significantly reduce the rate of wound healing, potentially leading to serious systemic infections. Antibiotics are the first-line drugs for the treatment of these infections. However, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics have led to the emergence of bacterial resistance. Therefore, a new antimicrobial strategy is urgently needed. Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a novel efficient therapeutic technique that can produce irreversible cell damage to induce death of bacteria, possessing a great potential in infected wound healing. This work describes the use of a new photothermal agent (PTA) such as niobium carbide (NbC) nanoparticles with outstanding near-infrared (NIR) absorption property. NbC nanoparticles converted NIR laser irradiation energy into localized heat for photothermal treatment. In vitro antimicrobial experiments have revealed that NbC nanoparticles exert excellent antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Moreover, NbC nanoparticles accelerated E. coli–infected wound healing process, reduced inflammatory response, and showed good biosafety in vivo. Altogether, NbC nanoparticles represent an efficient PTA for antimicrobial treatment and are a bio-safe material with low toxicity in vivo.

A multifunctional α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core-shell nanoplatform for gene and photothermal combination anticancer therapy

Exploration of versatile nanoplatforms within one single nanostructure for multidisciplinary treatment modalities, especially achieving a synergistic therapeutic efficacy of combinational gene/photothermal cancer therapy is still a great challenge in biomedicine and nanotechnology. In this study, a unique photothermal nanocarrier has successfully been designed and developed for a combination of gene therapy (GT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancer cells. Surface-engineered iron oxides (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs) with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer coatings are synthesized using a one-pot in situ oxidative polymerization method. The results show that the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs with a uniform particle size exhibit positively charged surfaces, facilitating efficient siRNA Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) uptake for delivery to breast cancer cells. More importantly, α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs not only display good biocompatibility and water dispersibility but also strong optical absorption enhancement in the Vis-NIR region as compared to α-Fe₂O₃ NPs. The obtained α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs show an efficient photothermal conversion efficacy (η = 54.3%) and photostability under NIR laser irradiation. As a result, both in vitro and in vivo biological studies on two types of breast cancer cells/tumors treated with α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT-siRNA nanocomplexes demonstrate high cancer cell apoptosis and tumor inhibition induced by synergistic GT/PTT therapy under mild conditions compared to an individual GT or PTT alone. Taken together, this is the first example of the use of an α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell nanoagent as a siRNA delivery nanocarrier for highly effective gene/photothermal combination anticancer therapy.