To date, a large number of photosensitizers (PS) have introduced heavy atoms to improve the ISC process and 1O2 generation. However, they often show low efficiency in hypoxic conditions, aggregate states, and turn-off PDT in the dark. Besides that, the toxicity of heavy metals is also concerned. Therefore, we developed lysosome-targeted heavy-metal-free PS (3S and 4S) based on thionated naphthalimide for hypoxic cancer photodynamic therapy (PDT), not only under white light but also in the dark via thermal-induced 1O2 generation. AIEgen (3O and 4O) were prepared for studying the PDT action of PSs (3S and 4S) in lysosome and aggregate state. We also examined the photophysical properties of AIEgen (3O and 4O) and PS (3S and 4S) by UV–vis absorption, fluorescent emission spectra, and theoretical calculations.

Hierarchical plasmonic nanostructures of a gold nanorod-covered microball by a syringe-injection reduction have a good potential for a selected single-cell calcium ionophore delivery and apoptosis induction in heterogenous cancer cells.