pH-responsive gold nanoclusters-based nanoprobes for lung cancer targeted near-infrared fluorescence imaging and chemo-photodynamic therapy.

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have drawn a great deal of attention for their opportunities to improve cancer treatments over intrinsic limits of conventional cancer therapies. Herein, we developed the polypeptide-modified gold nanoclusters (GNCs)-based nanoprobes for tumor-targeted near-infrared fluorescence imaging and chemo-photodynamic therapy. The nanoprobes comprise of tetra-functional components: i) polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell for long blood circulation and better biocompatibility; ii) MMP2 polypeptide (CPLGVRGRGDS) for tumor targeting; iii) cis-aconitic anhydride-modified doxorubicin (CAD) for pH-sensitive drug release; iv) photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) for photodynamic therapy and fluorescence imaging. The in vitro results demonstrated that the as-synthesized nanoprobes could be efficiently internalized into A549 cells and then significantly enhance the mortality of cancer cells compared with free Ce6 and doxorubicin. For in vivo tests, the nanoprobes showed excellent tumor targeting ability, long blood circulation time, and could remarkably inhibit the growth of tumor. Our results will help to advance the design of combination strategies to enhance the efficacy of imaging-guided cancer therapy. The as-prepared CDGM NPs could accumulate into the tumor tissue with the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect as well as the active tumor targeting ability from the MMP2 polypeptides. With the acid-sensitive linker, the doxorubicin (DOX) would be released from the synthesized nanoparticles after exposing to the acid tumor microenvironment. The CDGM NPs exhibit excellent tumor targeting ability and could remarkably suppress the growth of tumor compared with free Ce6 and DOX.

Xia F ，Hou W ，Zhang C ，Zhi X ，Cheng J ，de la Fuente JM ，Song J ，Cui D ... -  《-》

pH-Sensitive self-assembling nanoparticles for tumor near-infrared fluorescence imaging and chemo-photodynamic combination therapy.

Hou W ，Zhao X ，Qian X ，Pan F ，Zhang C ，Yang Y ，de la Fuente JM ，Cui D ... -  《-》

MMP2-Targeting and Redox-Responsive PEGylated Chlorin e6 Nanoparticles for Cancer Near-Infrared Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy.

Hou W ，Xia F ，Alves CS ，Qian X ，Yang Y ，Cui D ... -  《-》

Matrix metalloproteinase-2-targeted superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4)-PEG-G5-MMP2@Ce6 nanoprobes for dual-mode imaging and photodynamic therapy.

Duan M ，Xia F ，Li T ，Shapter JG ，Yang S ，Li Y ，Gao G ，Cui D ... -  《-》

Cytokine induced killer cells-assisted delivery of chlorin e6 mediated self-assembled gold nanoclusters to tumors for imaging and immuno-photodynamic therapy.

The cytotoxicity and unique tumor-tropic properties of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells render them promising in the field of cancer immunotherapy and delivery systems. Here, we report a novel and facile approach to assemble gold nanoclusters (GNCs) into stable and monodispersed nanoparticles (NPs) using Chlorin e6 (Ce6) molecules. Notably, the fluorescence intensity of the GNCs-Ce6 NPs was about 4.5 folds stronger than the GNCs counterparts. The as-prepared GNCs-Ce6 NPs were conjugated with CD3 antibody (Ab) and further employed to label CIK cells to create a CIK cell-based drug delivery system (Ce6-GNCs-Ab-CIK). The Ce6-GNCs-Ab-CIK exhibited high tumor-targeting efficiency and excellent therapeutic efficacy toward MGC-803 tumor-bearing mice. Benefiting from the synergistic therapeutic effect between GNCs-Ce6-Ab NPs and CIK cells, the GNCs-Ce6-Ab-CIK strategy may present an ideal cancer theranostic platform for tumor targeted imaging and combination therapy.

Xia F ，Hou W ，Liu Y ，Wang W ，Han Y ，Yang M ，Zhi X ，Li C ，Qi D ，Li T ，Martinez de la Fuente J ，Zhang C ，Song J ，Cui D ... -  《-》