Rationally assembled albumin/indocyanine green nanocomplex for enhanced tumor imaging to guide photothermal therapy

Abstract

Herein, a novel phototheranostic nanocomplex that is self-assembled from bovine serum albumin (BSA) and indocyanine green (ICG) is developed for enhanced near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging, which benefits the guidance on in vivo cancer photothermal therapy (PTT). The study confirms that the binding of ICG with the bind sits on the albumin will result in improved hydrolytic stability and high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). The ICG loading ratio in the nanocomplex is optimized and confirms the loading ratio of 0.5% ICG to be the optimal content. The optimized ICG-BSA nanocomplex (ICG-BSA NC) possesses a higher PLQY of 16.8% than that of free ICG (2.7%). The high PLQY and efficient passive targeting ability of ICG-BSA NC help improve its in vivo tumor accumulation and NIR fluorescence imaging significantly. Under laser irradiation, efficient PTT with obvious tumor growth suppression on a triple negative breast tumor model can be observed in the ICG-BSA NC treated group.

Broad spectrum antibacterial photodynamic and photothermal therapy achieved with indocyanine green loaded SPIONs under near infrared irradiation

“…Indocyanine green (ICG), a FDA approved NIR organic dye, is used for intraoperative optical imaging in the clinic [22,23] and for dental imaging [24]. It is under investigation for imageguided PDT and, most recently, as a photosensitizer for combined PDT-PTT upon irradiation at 808 nm [25]. Long wavelength absorption of ICG and safety in the absence of light irradiation are quite attractive.…”

Recent strategies for nano-based PTT combined with immunotherapy: from a biomaterial point of view

“…As one kind of organic small molecular dyes, ICG is a promising candidate for cancer theranostic application owing to its proved safety in clinic, ability for NIR fluorescence imaging and PTT. To improve its photo-stability and tumor accumulation, ICG was usually loaded in nanocarriers 51 . This nanovaccine which had high antigen-loading efficiency (80.8%) could exhibit therapeutic and prophylactic dual functions.…”

Chemodynamic nanomaterials for cancer theranostics

“…Inorganic materials mainly include the noble metals (e.g., Au, Ag, and Pt), metal chalcogenides (e.g., CuS), and carbon-based nanomaterials [ 161 , 162 ]. Organic photothermal materials mainly include small molecule dyes (e.g., indocyanine green, prussian blue) and conjugated polymers (e.g., polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polydopamine) [ 163 – 165 ]. One main issue for PTT is that insufficient light penetration depth may lead to incomplete elimination of tumor cells, and residual tumor cells may lead to tumor recurrence and distant metastasis.…”