Enhanced imaging techniques using contrast agents enable
high-resolution
structural imaging to reveal space-occupying lesions but rarely provide
detailed molecular information. To this end, we report a structural
and molecular fusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) nanoprobe for
differential diagnosis between benign and malignant tumors. This fusion
nanoprobe, termed FFT NPs, follows a working mechanism involving a T
1-/T
2-weighted magnetic
resonance tuning effect (MRET) between a magnetic Fe3O4 core and a paramagnetic Fe-tannic acid (Fe-TA) shell. The
FFT NPs with an “always-on” inert T
2 signal provide structural MRI (sMRI) contrast of tumors
while affording an activated T
1 signal
in the presence of ATP, which is overproduced during the rapid growth
of malignant tumors to enable molecular MRI (mMRI) of tumor lesions.
We propose the use of the ratiometric mMRI:sMRI intensity to assist
in the differential diagnosis of malignant 4T1 tumors from benign
L929 fibroblast tumors. Furthermore, the dissociated FFT NPs were
found to be able to catalyze H2O2 conversion
in 4T1 tumors to generate excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) for
chemodynamic therapy. The described fusion nanoprobe strategy enables
the differential diagnosis of tumors from a combined spatial and molecular
perspective with one-stop MRI imaging with potential applications
in precision intervention.
Sonosensitizers‐assisted sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has been emerging as a promising treatment for cancers, and yet few specific regulations of band structure of sonosensitizers have been reported in relation to oxygen in tissues. Herein, by a gradient doping technique to modulate the band structure of hetero‐semiconductor nanorods, it is found that the reduction potential of band‐edge is very critical to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production under low‐intensity ultrasound (US) irradiation and particularly, when aligned with the reduction of oxygen, ROS generation is found to be most significantly enhanced. Withal, US‐generated oxidation holes are found to be effective in consuming overexpressed glutathione in tumor lesions, which amplifies cellular oxidative stress and finally induces tumor cell death. Moreover, the intrinsic fluorescence property of semiconductors provides imaging capability to illumine tumor area and guide the SDT process. This study demonstrates that the reduction potential state of sonosensitizers is of crucial importance in ROS generation and the proposed reduction potential‐tailored hetero‐semiconductor nanorods materialize low‐intensity US irradiation yet highly effective SDT and synergetic hole therapy of tumors with imaging guidance and reduced radiation injury.
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