Photosensitizer-Loaded pH-Responsive Hollow Gold Nanospheres for Single Light-Induced Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy

Novel photoinduced triple-response antitumor therapeutic system based on hollow gold nanospheres (HAuNS), pH (low) insertion peptide (pHLIP), and Chlorin e6 (Ce6), was reported for the first time. The system was able to intracellularly deliver the nanocarriers by the transmembrane ability of pHLIP at the condition of pH 6.2. Ce6 and pHLIP were then released from the surface of the carriers due to the weakening electrostatic interaction with HAuNS under the photoirradiation. Herein, HAuNS performed two different functions: (1) as a nanocarrier because of the excellent loading capability; (2) experienced the photothermal therapy (PTT) effect as a photothermal coupling agent (PTCA), thus enhancing the photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect of Ce6.