Glucose oxidase and ruthenium nanorods-embedded self-healing polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene imine hydrogel for simultaneous photothermal/photodynamic/starvation therapy and skin reconstruction.

Tumor recurrence and wound healing represent significant burdens for tumor patients after the surgical removal of melanomas. Wound dressings with wound healing and anticancer therapeutic abilities could help to solve these issues. Thus, a hybrid hydrogel made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylene imine (PEI) was prepared by cross-linking imine bond and boronic acid bond. This hydrogel was loaded with ruthenium nanorods (Ru NRs) and glucose oxidase (GOx) and named as nanocomposite hydrogel (Ru/GOx@Hydrogel), exhibiting remarkable photothermal/photodynamic/starvation antitumor therapy and wound repair abilities. Ru NRs are bifunctional phototherapeutic agents that simultaneously exhibit intrinsic photothermal and photodynamic functions. Three-dimensional composite hydrogel loaded with GOx can also consume glucose in the presence of O2 during tumor starvation therapy. Near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered hyperthermia can not only promote the consumption of glucose, but also facilitate the ablation of residual cancer cells. The antitumor effect of the Ru/GOx@Hydrogel resulted in significant improvements, compared to those observed with either phototherapy or starvation therapy alone. Additionally, the postoperative wound was substantially healed after treatment with Ru/GOx@Hydrogel and NIR irradiation. Therefore, the Ru/GOx@Hydrogel can be used as a multi-stimulus-responsive nanoplatform that could facilitate on-demand controlled drug release, and be used as a promising postoperative adjuvant in combination therapy.

Recent Development of MOF-Based Photothermal Agent for Tumor Ablation.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are 3D-architecture compounds of metal ions and organic molecules with sufficient and permanent porosity, showing great potential as a versatile platform to load various functional moieties to endow the hybrid materials with specific applications. Currently, a variety of photothermal nanometals have been embedded into organic ligands for integrating the unique photothermal effects with the merits of MOFs to improve their performances for cancer therapy. In this review, we have summarized a series of novel MOF-based photothermal materials for this unique therapeutic modality against tumors from three main aspects according to their chemical compositions and structures, i) metal-doped MOF, ii) organic-doped MOF, and iii) polymer-coated MOF. In addition, we have summarized the latest developments and characteristics of MOF-based photothermal agents, such as good biocompatibility, low toxicity, and responsive photothermal conversion without destroying the structure of hybrid photothermal agent. At last, we addressed the future perspectives of MOF-based photothermal agent in the field of phototherapy.

An upconversion nanoplatform for simultaneous photodynamic therapy and Pt chemotherapy to combat cisplatin resistance.

Platinum-based antineoplastic drugs are among the first-line chemotherapeutic agents against a variety of solid tumors, but toxic side-effects and drug resistance issues limit their clinical optimization. Novel strategies and platforms to conquer cisplatin resistance are highly desired. Herein, we assembled a multimodal nanoplatform utilizing 808 nm-excited and biocompatible core-shell-shell upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) [NaGdF4:Yb/Nd@NaGdF4:Yb/Er@NaGdF4] that were covalently loaded with not only photosensitizers (PSs), but also Pt(iv) prodrugs, which were rose bengal (RB) and c,c,t-[Pt(NH3)2Cl2(OCOCH2CH2NH2)2], respectively. The UCNPs had the capability to convert near infrared (NIR) light to visible light, which was further utilized by RB to generate singlet oxygen. At the same time, the nanoplatform delivered the Pt(iv) prodrug into cancer cells. Thus, this upconversion nanoplatform was able to carry out combined and simultaneous photodynamic therapy (PDT) and Pt chemotherapy. The nanoplatform was well characterized and the energy transfer efficiency was confirmed. Compared with free cisplatin or UCNPs loaded with RB only, our nanoplatform showed significantly improved cytotoxicity upon 808 nm irradiation in both cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant human ovarian cancer cells. A mechanistic study showed that the nanoparticles efficiently delivered the Pt(iv) prodrug into cancer cells, resulting in Pt-DNA damage, and that the nanoplatform generated cellular singlet oxygen to kill cancer cells. We, therefore, provide a comprehensive strategy to use UCNPs for combined Pt chemotherapy and PDT against cisplatin resistance, and our nanoplatform can also be used as a theranostic tool due to its NIR bioimaging capacity.

Graphitic Carbon Nanocubes Derived from ZIF-8 for Photothermal Therapy.

Graphitic carbon nanocubes (GCNCs) were prepared by pyrolysis of ZIF-8 nanocubes. The GCNCs resemble the structure of N-doped graphite and exhibit a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 40.4%. In vitro tests demonstrate that the GCNCs are highly biocompatible and induce an effective photothermal therapy effect under 808 nm irradiation. Our study provides a facile strategy for preparing functional carbon nanomaterials of prescribed size, morphology, and porous structure for bioapplications.