A multifunctional photoacoustic/fluorescence dual-mode-imaging gold-based theranostic nanoformulation without external laser limitations

• Published in: Advanced materials (Weinheim) Vol. 34; no. 19; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Zhang, Junfeng, Yin, Xiaofeng, Li, Chenchen, Yin, Xuelian, Xue, Qianghua, Ding, Lin, Ju, Jiale, Ma, Jifei, Zhu, Ying, Du, Dongshu, Reis, R. L., Wang, Yanli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley 01-05-2022; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biocompatibility; Cell Line, Tumor; Contrast agents; Fluorescence; Gene expression; Gold; Gold nanorods; Humans; Imaging techniques; Lasers; Materials science; Medical imaging; Mitochondria; mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis; Nanomaterials; Nanorods; Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasms - therapy; Photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging; Photoacoustic Techniques - methods; Phototherapy - methods; Precision Medicine; Preforms; Reactive oxygen species; Science & Technology; Theranostic nanoformulation; Theranostic Nanomedicine - methods; Therapy; Toxicity; mitochondria-mediated apoptosis; theranostic nanoformulation; photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging; gold nanorods; reactive oxygen species
• ISSN: 0935-9648; 1521-4095
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202110690

Theranostics is a new type of biomedical technology that organically combines the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. Among molecular imaging techniques, the integration of photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence (FL) imaging modes with high sensitivity and imaging depth provides precise diagnostic outcomes. Gold nanorods (Au NRs) are well-known contrast agents for PA imaging and photothermal therapy. However, their high toxicity, poor biocompatibility, rapid clearance, and the need for an external laser source limit their application. Therefore, modification of Au NRs with carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) is done to obtain a multifunctional dual-mode gold-based nanoformulation (mdGC), which preforms dual-mode imaging of PA and FL. The results show that mdGC promotes tumor cell apoptosis and exhibits good antitumor performance through the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway by increasing the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species, reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, and regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes. The targeting rate of mdGC to tumor tissue is up to 20.71 ± 1.94% ID g-1; the tumor growth inhibition rate is as high as 80.44% without external laser sources. In general, mdGC is a potential multifunctional diagnostic and therapy integrated nanoformulation.
J.Z., X.Y., and C.L. contributed equally to this study. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81922037, 11575107, 21371115, and 22003038), the Shanghai UniversityUniversal Medical Imaging Diagnostic Research Foundation (19H00100), and Shanghai Biomedical Science and Technology Support Project (19441903600).