High-Performance Hybrid Phototheranostics for NIR-IIb Fluorescence Imaging and NIR-II-Excitable Photothermal Therapy
Qi Wang,
Xinmin Zhang,
Youguang Tang,
Yanwei Xiong,
Xu Wang,
Chunlai Li,
Tangxin Xiao,
Feng Lu,
Mengze Xu
Affiliations
Qi Wang
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Xinmin Zhang
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Youguang Tang
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Yanwei Xiong
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Xu Wang
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Chunlai Li
Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Transplantation and Immunology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
Tangxin Xiao
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
Feng Lu
State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China
Mengze Xu
Center for Cognition and Neuroergonomics, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China
Photothermal therapy operated in the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) window and fluorescence imaging in the NIR-IIb (1500–1700 nm) region have become the most promising techniques in phototheranostics. Their combination enables simultaneous high-resolution optical imaging and deep-penetrating phototherapy, which is essential for high-performance phototheranostics. Herein, carboxyl-functionalized small organic photothermal molecules (Se-TC) and multi-layered NIR-IIb emissive rare-earth-doped nanoparticles (NaYF4:Yb,Er,Ce@NaYF4:Yb,Nd@NaYF4, RENP) were rationally designed and successfully synthesized. Then, high-performance hybrid phototheranostic nanoagents (Se-TC@RENP@F) were easily constructed through the coordination between Se-TC and RENP and followed by subsequent F127 encapsulation. The carboxyl groups of Se-TC can offer strong binding affinity towards rare-earth-doped nanoparticles, which help improving the stability of Se-TC@RENP@F. The multilayered structure of RENP largely enhance the NIR-IIb emission under 808 nm excitation. The obtained Se-TC@RENP@F exhibited high 1064 nm absorption (extinction coefficient: 24.7 L g−1 cm−1), large photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE, 36.9%), good NIR-IIb emission (peak: 1545 nm), as well as great photostability. Upon 1064 nm laser irradiation, high hyperthermia can be achieved to kill tumor cells efficiently. In addition, based on the excellent NIR-IIb emission of Se-TC@RENP@F, in vivo angiography and tumor detection can be realized. This work provides a distinguished paradigm for NIR-IIb-imaging-guided NIR-II photothermal therapy and establishes an artful strategy for high-performance phototheranostics.
