All‐in‐One Phototheranostics: Single Laser Triggers NIR‐II Fluorescence/Photoacoustic Imaging Guided Photothermal/Photodynamic/Chemo Combination Therapy

Abstract

Development of single near‐infrared (NIR) laser triggered phototheranostics for multimodal imaging guided combination therapy is highly desirable but is still a big challenge. Herein, a novel small‐molecule dye DPP‐BT is designed and synthesized, which shows strong absorption in the first NIR window (NIR‐I) and fluorescence emission in the second NIR region (NIR‐II). Such a dye not only acts as a dual‐modal contrast agent for NIR‐II fluorescence and photoacoustic (PA) imaging, but also serves as a combined therapeutic agent for photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). The single NIR laser triggered all‐in‐one phototheranostic nanoparticles are constructed by encapsulating the dye DPP‐BT, chemotherapy drug DOX, and natural phase‐change materials with a folic acid functionalized amphiphile. Notably, under NIR laser irradiation, DOX can effectively release from such nanoparticles via NIR‐induced hyperthermia of DPP‐BT. By intravenous injection of such nanoparticles into Hela tumor‐bearing mice, the tumor size and location can be accurately observed via NIR‐II fluorescence/PA dual‐modal imaging. From in vitro and in vivo therapy results, such nanoparticles simultaneously present remarkable antitumor efficacy by PTT/PDT/chemo combination therapy, which is triggered by a single NIR laser. Overall, this work provides an innovative strategy to design and construct all‐in‐one nanoplatforms for clinical phototheranostics.

Photo/electrocatalysis and photosensitization using metal nanoclusters for green energy and medical applications

“…More recently, the "NIR-II" window (1000-1700 nm) has also been attracting interest because of the decreased light scattering by tissues, lower background autouorescence, and deeper tissue penetration. 95,96 Vankayala et al reported a mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA)-protected Au NCs conjugated transactivator of transcription (TAT) peptide (peptide sequence: N-GRKKRRQRRR-C). 97 The TAT peptide-Au NCs not only produced 1 O 2 under NIR-II light (980 nm), but also acted as DNA nano-cargo to achieve high gene transfection efficiencies (z81%) in HeLa cells (Fig.…”

An Acceptor–Donor–Acceptor Structured Small Molecule for Effective NIR Triggered Dual Phototherapy of Cancer

“…Nonfluorescent DCFH‐DA can be rapidly converted to green fluorescent product (2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescein, DCF) in the presence of 1 O 2 . [ 20 ] As displayed in Figure 4H, HeLa cells incubated with FA‐CNPs and DCFHDA exhibited bright green fluorescence upon 808 nm laser irradiation. But no obvious fluorescence was observed in nonirradiated controlled experiment and the case of addition of Vc in above system (Figure 4I).…”

“…To date, considerable efforts have been devoted to devise multifunctional sensitizing agents for effective single NIR‐triggered PDT and PTT combination therapy. [ 6–25 ] A number of porphyrins and phthalocyanine derivatives‐based drugs have been utilized in clinical PDT therapy. Not surprisingly, thus, many efforts are being made to develop new dual phototherapy agents based on these materials.…”

“…[ 10–12 ] Some of them have exhibited dual PDT and PTT activities with greatly improved efficacy in cancer treatment. [ 6–25 ] Most of them, however, face some unavoidable problems of poor solubility, inferior photostability, short wavelength absorption, low PCE, and tumor targeting ability. So, it is still highly desirable to develop other kinds of sensitizing agents, achieving efficient, and synergistic PDT and PTT therapy under single NIR irradiation.…”

Engineering Versatile Nanoparticles for Near‐Infrared Light‐Tunable Drug Release and Photothermal Degradation of Amyloid β

“…Local hyperthermia can disassemble amyloid deposits by interfering with their growth . Many breakthroughs in the research and applications of photothermal agents have been reported . Nevertheless, materials currently under investigation for photothermal disintegration of matured fibrils are limited to gold and carbon‐based nanostructures.…”