A Multilayered Mesoporous Gold Nanoarchitecture for Ultraeffective Near-Infrared Light-Controlled Chemo/Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Guided by SERS Imaging

Bohan Yin, Willis Kwun Hei Ho, Xinyue Xia, Cecilia Ka Wing Chan, Qin Zhang, Yip Ming Ng, Ching Ying Katherine Lam, James Chung Wai Cheung, Jianfang Wang, Mo Yang, Siu Hong Dexter Wong

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

62 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging has emerged as a promising tool for guided cancer diagnosis and synergistic therapies, such as combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (chemo-PTT). Yet, existing therapeutic agents often suffer from low SERS sensitivity, insufficient photothermal conversion, or/and limited drug loading capacity. Herein, a multifunctional theragnostic nanoplatform consisting of mesoporous silica-coated gold nanostar with a cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-coated gold nanocluster shell (named RGD–pAS@AuNC) is reported that exhibits multiple “hot spots” for pronouncedly enhanced SERS signals and improved near-infrared (NIR)-induced photothermal conversion efficiency (85.5%), with a large capacity for high doxorubicin (DOX) loading efficiency (34.1%, named RGD/DOX–pAS@AuNC) and effective NIR-triggered DOX release. This nanoplatform shows excellent performance in xenograft tumor model of HeLa cell targeting, negligible cytotoxicity, and good stability both in vitro and in vivo. By SERS imaging, the optimal temporal distribution of injected RGD/DOX–pAS@AuNCs at the tumor site is identified for NIR-triggered local chemo-PTT toward the tumor, achieving ultraeffective therapy in tumor cells and tumor-bearing mouse model with 5 min of NIR irradiation (0.5 W cm−2). This work offers a promising approach to employing SERS imaging for effective noninvasive tumor treatment by on-site triggered chemo-PTT.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2206762
JournalSmall
Volume19
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 8 Feb 2023

Keywords

  • controlled drug release
  • mesoporous nanostructures
  • photothermal therapy
  • plasmonic nanomaterials
  • surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • General Chemistry
  • Biomaterials
  • General Materials Science

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