Background: Recently, combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) has become a desired treatment for cancer. However, the development of economic, high-efficiency, and safe photosensitizers/photothermal agents remains a significant challenge.
Methods: A novel nanocomposite has been developed via the assembly of iron oxide carbon dot (Fe₃O₄-CDs) nanoparticles and black phosphorus quantum dots (genipin [GP]-polyglutamic acid [PGA]-Fe₃O₄-CDs@BPQDs), and this nanocomposite shows a broad light-absorption band and a photodegradable character.
Results: In vitro and in vivo assays indicated that GP-PGA-Fe₃O₄-CDs@BPQDs were highly biocompatible and exhibited excellent tumor-inhibition efficacy, due to the synergistic PTT and PDT via a near-infrared laser. Importantly, in vivo tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results illustrated that GP-PGA-Fe₃O₄-CDs@BPQDs can be specifically applied for enhanced T ₂ MRI of tumors. This work presents the first combined application of a PDT and PTT effect deriving from BPQDs and MRI from Fe₃O₄-CDs, which may promote utilization of black BPQDs in biomedicine.
Conclusion: As expected, GP-PGA-Fe₃O₄-CDs@BPQDs displayed a dramatically enhanced ability to destroy tumor cells, due to the synergistic combination of PTT and PDT.
Keywords: black phosphorus quantum dots, biocompatible, photothermal, photodynamic, T ₂ MRI