Journal Article

An Efficient Heat and Peroxynitrite Generating Nanoplatform for Multimodal Imaging‐guided Precision Tumor Phototherapy

Lv, Mingkun, Zhou, Siyu, Yang, Yicheng, Cheng, Li, Xi, Lei, Xiao, Hongjun, Yang, Jingkai, Tan, Xuan, Shao, Pan‐Lin, Li, Tingting, Xu, Ziyi, Lv, Jiahui, Zhang, Bo, Guo, Heng, Li, Jiaxin

2025

Overview

ABSTRACT Near‐infrared II (NIR‐II) fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) based on aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) have attracted significant attention due to their multimodal imaging capabilities as well as the combined photothermal and photodynamic therapeutic effects in cancer therapy. Reported herein is the rational designed AIE molecule (BPT), via incorporating phenothiazine units with strong electron‐donating and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capabilities into the classical AIE scaffold tetraphenylethylene, further coupled with a strong electron‐acceptor named benzo[1,2‐c:4,5‐c']bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole. The BPT NPs exhibited maximum NIR‐II fluorescence emission at 1083 nm, a fluorescence quantum yield of 1.53%, photothermal conversion efficiency of 63%, and photoacoustic imaging capabilities, alongside considerable type I ROS generation ability. Additionally, when a kind of nitric oxide (NO) donor named O2‐(2,4‐dinitrophenyl) 1‐[(4‐ethoxycarbonyl) piperazin‐1‐yl]diazen‐1‐ium‐1,2‐diolate (JSK) was incorporated, the corresponding JSK‐BPT NPs could generate O2−, NO, and peroxynitrite to induce phototoxicity. By applying it to the 4T1 breast tumor model, JSK‐BPT NPs achieved high‐quality multimodal imaging of the vasculature and tumor regions in mice. Under the multimodal imaging guidance, the 4T1 tumor could be ablated completely after a single dose of JSK‐BPT NPs and under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser. Reported herein is the rational‐designed aggregation‐induced emission molecule (BPT), its nanoparticles (BPT NPs), and further processed heat and peroxynitrite generating nanoplatform for precision multimodal imaging‐guided tumor phototherapy. This nanoplatform showed near‐infrared II fluorescence, photothermal, and photoacoustic imaging capabilities, together with efficient heat production and multiple reactive oxygen species generation capacities, achieving complete tumor ablation with a single dose under the guidance of tri‐modal imaging in the 4T1 mouse tumor model.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Wiley
• Subject: AIE nanoparticles | gas therapy | multimodal imaging | NIR‐II imaging | photothermal therapy / Aqueous solutions / Electrons / Heat / Lasers / Nanoparticles / Tumors