Camouflaged Gold Nanodendrites Enable Synergistic Photodynamic Therapy and NIR Biowindow II Photothermal Therapy and Multimodal Imaging

Gold nanodendrite (AuND)-based nanotheranostic agents with versatile capabilities were fabricated by optimizing the geometrical configurations (dendrite length and density) of AuND to achieve localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in near-infrared biowindow II (NIR-II), and then subsequently functionalizing with a mitochondria-targeting compound (triphenylphosphonium, TPP), loading with an NIR-photosensitizer (indocyanine green, ICG) and coating with the macrophage cell membrane (MCM) to trap ICG within AuND and selectively interact with MDA-MB-231 cells. The novel AuND-TPP-ICG@MCM system enabled the integration of multimodal fluorescence/photoacoustic/surface-enhanced Raman imaging with synergistic therapies of NIR-II photothermal therapy and NIR-I photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. Enhanced hyperthermia and elevated production of reactive oxygen species within the tumors via MCM coating and mitochondria targeting afforded a synergistic efficacy for tumor eradication with limited side effects. The demonstrated biocompatibility, multi-imaging capability, and high therapeutic efficiency under NIR laser irradiation indicate the potentials of this multifunctional nanotheranostic platform for clinical utility in cancer therapy.

Automated summary

The fabricated Gold nanodendrite (AuND)-based nanotheranostic agents with versatile capabilities enabled multimodal imaging and synergistic therapies of NIR-II photothermal therapy and NIR-I photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment. The enhanced hyperthermia and production of reactive oxygen species within the tumors via MCM coating and mitochondria targeting provide a synergistic efficacy for tumor eradication with limited side effects, showing great potentials for clinical utility in cancer therapy.