High-Performance Hybrid Phototheranostics for NIR-IIb Fluorescence Imaging and NIR-II-Excitable Photothermal Therapy

Two-Dimensional MXenes Surface Engineering Nanoplatform for PTT-Chemotherapy Synergistic Tumor Therapy

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a high early recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Given its insensitivity to traditional systemic chemotherapy, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies for effective treatment. This paper reports the development of a novel two-dimensional MXene composite nanoplatform for efficient synergistic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy of TNBC.

Results

To achieve surface functionalization of MXene, we developed a surface nanopore engineering strategy, enabling the uniform coating of a thin mesoporous silica layer on the two-dimensional Ti3C2 MXene surface. This strategy endows MXenes with well-defined mesopores for on-demand drug release/delivery and enhanced hydrophilicity/dispersibility. Systematic in vitro and in vivo evaluations demonstrate that Ti3C2@MSNs have high active targeting capability upon entering tumors, and through the synergistic chemotherapy of the mesoporous shell and the photothermal therapy of the Ti3C2 MXene core, tumors can be completely eradicated with no significant recurrence.

Conclusion

This study provides a new strategy for developing MXene-based composite nano drug delivery systems to effectively combat TNBC.

Metal-Coordinated NIR-II Nanoadjuvants with Nanobody Conjugation for Potentiating Immunotherapy by Tumor Metabolism Reprogramming

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) immunotherapy remains hampered by insufficient immunogenicity and a high-lactate immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, a nanobody-engineered NIR-II nanoadjuvant with targeting metabolic reprogramming capability is constructed for potentiating NIR-II photothermal-ferroptosis immunotherapy. Specifically, the nanoadjuvant (2DG@FS-Nb) is prepared by metallic iron ion-mediated coordination self-assembly of D-A-D type NIR-II molecules and loading of glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), followed by modification with aPD-L1 nanobody (Nb), which can effectively target the immunosuppressive TME and trigger in situ immune checkpoint blockade. The nanoadjuvants responsively release therapeutic components in the acidic TME, enabling the precise tumor location by NIR-II fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging while initiating NIR-II photothermal-ferroptosis therapy. The remarkable NIR-II photothermal efficiency and elevated glutathione (GSH) depletion further sensitize ferroptosis to induce severe lipid peroxidation, provoking robust immunogenic cell death (ICD) to trigger anti-tumor immune response. Importantly, the released 2DG markedly inhibits lactate generation through glycolysis obstruction. Decreased lactate efflux remodels the immunosuppressive TME by suppressing M2 macrophage proliferation and downregulating regulatory T cell levels. This work provides a new paradigm for the integration of NIR-II phototheranostics and lactate metabolism regulation into a single nanoplatform for amplified anti-tumor immunotherapy combined with ICB therapy.

Comparative study of treatment efficacy in severe intraepithelial squamous cell lesions and preinvasive cervical cancer by conization and chlorin e6-mediated fluorescence-assisted systemic photodynamic therapy

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer (CC) occupies a leading position in incidence among young women of reproductive age. In this connection, it is urgent to search for the most effective approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this pathology. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the PDT method using Cе6 with the control of the photobleaching using video and spectral fluorescence diagnostic methods, to develop the method of fluorescence-assisted systemic photodynamic therapy mediated with chlorin e6 for treatment CIN 3 and CIS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A randomized comparative clinical study was conducted involving 94 women aged 18 to 49 years with histologically verified severe intraepithelial squamous cell lesions of the cervix or preinvasive cervical cancer. The patients were included in 2 groups: in the first group conization of the cervix was performed with curettage of the remaining part of the cervical canal; patients in the second group underwent the chlorin e6-mediated fluorescence-assisted systemic photodynamic therapy.

RESULTS

The absolute majority of patients in the main group after the first course of chlorin e6-mediated fluorescence-assisted systemic photodynamic therapy showed normalization of cytological parameters and colposcopic picture, while women from the comparison group showed signs of cervical lesions statistically significantly more often. These changes corresponded to the dynamics of the proliferation markers expression in the cells of intraepithelial squamous cell lesions. Also, patients of the second group who were planning a pregnancy had better reproductive outcomes after treatment compared to those of the first group.

CONCLUSION

In general, higher clinical efficacy and safety of the use of the chlorin e6-mediated fluorescence-assisted systemic photodynamic therapy in the treatment of intraepithelial squamous cell lesions and preinvasive cervical cancer have been established compared to the use of standard treatment methods.