Protein-Based Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Imaging, Photothermal Therapy, and Anticancer Drug Delivery

We report a simple approach for fabricating plasmonic and magneto-lutninescent, multifunctional nano carriers (MFNCs) by assembling gold nanorods, iron oxide nanoparticles, and gold nanoclusters within BSA nanoparticles. The MFNCs showed self-tracking capability through single and two-photon imaging, and the potential for magnetic targeting in vitro. Appreciable T-2-relaxivity exhibited by the MFNCs indicated favorable condition for magnetic resonance imaging. In addition to successful plasmonic photothermal therapy of cancer cells (HeLa) in vitro, the MFNCs demonstrated efficient loading and: delivery of doxorubicin to HeLa cells leading to significnt cell death. The present MFNCs with their multimodal imaging and therapeutic capabilities could be eminent candidates for cancer theranostics.