Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of folic acid-decorated Ti3C2 MXenes in targeted combination therapy for liver cancer

Abstract

The limited efficacy and potential off-target toxicity of nanotherapeutic drugs remain significant challenges in liver cancer treatment. To address these issues, a novel targeted therapy approach utilizing a multifunctional nanocomposite, DOX/Ti3C2/PDA/PEG–FA, was developed for combined photothermal/chemotherapy (PTT/CHT) tumor treatment. The folic acid (FA)-modified nanomaterial facilitated specific targeting of folate receptor-overexpressing liver tumor cells, ensuring enhanced accumulation of the drug within the tumor site. Upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, the Ti3C2/PDA core exhibited efficient photothermal conversion, leading to a rapid temperature elevation in the tumor region while simultaneously triggering controlled DOX release due to the photothermal and acidic stimulation, thereby promoting chemotherapy. In vitro results demonstrated that the DOX/Ti3C2/PDA/PEG–FA nanocomposites effectively inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Moreover, in vivo studies in the HepG2 xenograft mouse model showed a significant reduction in the tumor volume and complete tumor ablation with minimal side effects, indicating the high efficiency and low toxicity of the targeted PTT/CHT combination therapy. This study introduces a novel DOX/Ti3C2/PDA/PEG–FA nanoplatform, which paves the way for targeted cancer therapy through a synergistic mechanism, significantly improving therapeutic efficacy against liver cancer while concurrently reducing systemic adverse effects.

Graphical abstract: Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of folic acid-decorated Ti3C2 MXenes in targeted combination therapy for liver cancer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
25 Jul 2025
Accepted
28 Sep 2025
First published
30 Sep 2025

Mater. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article

Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of folic acid-decorated Ti3C2 MXenes in targeted combination therapy for liver cancer

H. Lv, Z. Bai, Y. Li, L. Zhao, Y. Bai and F. Feng, Mater. Chem. Front., 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D5QM00546A

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