Assembly-Enhanced Indocyanine Green Nanoparticles for Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy

Abstract

The development of theranostic agents that offer complete biocompatibility, coupled with enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic performance, is crucial for fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy in anti-tumor applications. However, the fabrication of nanotheranostics meeting the aforementioned requirements is challenged by concerns regarding biosafety and limited control over construction. Herein, we reported a kind of fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal theranostic nanomaterials that are composed of amino acid derivatives and clinically used small photoactive indocyanine green molecules. Through manipulation of noncovalent interactions, these binary building blocks can co-assemble into nanoparticles in a tunable manner. Significantly, such construction not only maintained the fluorescent properties of photoactive molecules, but also enhanced their stability to overcome barriers from photo-degradation and complex physiological conditions. These collective features integrate their precise anti-tumor applications, including fluorescence imaging diagnosis and photothermal ablation therapy. This study reported a kind of nanotheranostics characterized by biocompatibility, adjustable construction, and robust stability, which are beneficial for the clinical translation of fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy against tumors.