Volume 57, Issue 35 pp. 11384-11388
Communication

A Size-Reducible Nanodrug with an Aggregation-Enhanced Photodynamic Effect for Deep Chemo-Photodynamic Therapy

Chendong Ji

Chendong Ji

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China

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Qin Gao

Qin Gao

Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

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Xinghua Dong

Xinghua Dong

Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

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Prof. Wenyan Yin

Corresponding Author

Prof. Wenyan Yin

Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

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Prof. Zhanjun Gu

Prof. Zhanjun Gu

Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

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Prof. Zhihua Gan

Prof. Zhihua Gan

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China

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Prof. Yuliang Zhao

Prof. Yuliang Zhao

Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

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Prof. Meizhen Yin

Corresponding Author

Prof. Meizhen Yin

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, China

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First published: 12 July 2018
Citations: 226

Graphical Abstract

A size-reducible nanodrug with an enhanced photodynamic effect is constructed by self-assembly of a multifunctional indocyanine dye. Owing to the aggregation-enhanced photodynamic effect of the dye, the nanodrug exhibits a distinct singlet oxygen quantum yield. The generated singlet oxygen self-triggers the size reduction of the nanodrug, which facilitates deep tumor penetration of the nanodrug and accelerates chemodrug CPT release.

Abstract

Fluorescent dyes with multi-functionality are of great interest for photo-based cancer theranostics. However, their low singlet oxygen quantum yield impedes their potential applications for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Now, a molecular self-assembly strategy is presented for a nanodrug with a remarkably enhanced photodynamic effect based on a dye-chemodrug conjugate. The self-assembled nanodrug possesses an increased intersystem crossing rate owing to the aggregation of dye, leading to a distinct singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ(1O2)). Subsequently, upon red light irradiation, the generated singlet oxygen reduces the size of the nanodrug from 90 to 10 nm, which facilitates deep tumor penetration of the nanodrug and release of chemodrug. The nanodrug achieved in situ tumor imaging and potent tumor inhibition by deep chemo-PDT. Our work verifies a facile and effective self-assembly strategy to construct nanodrugs with enhanced performance for cancer theranostics.

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