Thermosensitive Liposomal Nanoplatform Based on Metal-Free Phthalocyanine with Copper(II)-Regulated Photoactivities

This work reports the development of a multifunctional thermosensitive liposomal nanoplatform (PcS4@Lip-FA) based on a metal-free phthalocyanine modified with tetra-sulfonates (PcPS4), which exhibited photodynamic and photothermal activities simultaneously. Upon irradiation with a near infrared laser, thermosensitive PcS4@Lip-FA could release PcS4 as a result of the local hyperthermia of PcS4. Interestingly, PcS4 could easily chelate with Cu2+, leading to the enhancement of photothermal activity and decrease of photodynamic activity. In addition, in vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that PcS4@Lip-FA could selectively accumulate in tumor tissue of H22 tumor-bearing mice after tail vein injection, and exhibited a significant anticancer phototherapeutic effect, with a tumor inhibition rate of 83.5 %. Therefore, PcPS4@Lip-FA has realized fluorescence imaging-guided combined cancer treatment, providing a promising multifunctional nanoplatform for cancer diagnostics and therapy.

Automated summary

This work presents the development of a multifunctional thermosensitive liposomal nanoplatform that exhibits both photodynamic and photothermal effects. The nanoplatform enables fluorescence imaging-guided combined cancer treatment and demonstrates significant anticancer efficacy in vivo.