Biodegradable and Excretable 2D W_1.33C i‐MXene with Vacancy Ordering for Theory‐Oriented Cancer Nanotheranostics in Near‐Infrared Biowindow

Abstract

MXenes, a new class of two‐dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, have shown enormous potential for biological applications. Notably, the development of 2D MXenes in nanomedicine is still in its infancy. Herein, a distinct W1.33C i‐MXene with multiple theranostic functionalities, fast biodegradation, and satisfactory biocompatibility is explored. By designing a parent bulk laminate in‐plane ordered (W2/3Y1/3)2AlC ceramic and optionally etching aluminum (Al) and yttrium (Y) elements, 2D W1.33C i‐MXene nanosheets with ordered divacancies are efficiently fabricated. Especially, theoretical simulations reveal that W1.33C i‐MXene possesses a strong predominance of near‐infrared (NIR) absorbance. The constructed ultrathin W1.33C nanosheets feature excellent photothermal‐conversion effectiveness (32.5% at NIR I and 49.3% at NIR II) with desirable biocompatibility and fast degradation in normal tissue rather than in tumor tissue. Importantly, the multimodal‐imaging properties and photothermal‐ablation performance of W1.33C‐BSA nanosheets are systematically revealed and demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The underlying mechanism and regulation factors for the W1.33C‐BSA nanosheets‐induced hyperthermia ablation are also revealed by transcriptome and proteome sequencing. This work offers a paradigm that i‐MXenes achieve the tailoring biomedical applications through composition and structure design on the atomic scale.

Biomedical Applications of MXene‐Integrated Composites: Regenerative Medicine, Infection Therapy, Cancer Treatment, and Biosensing

“…In addition to their enhanced physiological features, the surface manipulation strategies can boost other properties of the 2D-nnaosheets such as conductivity, photosensitivity, and photothermal ability. To achieve these aims, the surface of MXene nanosheets has been functionalized by soybean phospholipid, [15] poly(vinyl alcohol), [16] poly(ethylene glycol), [17,18] bovine serum albumin, [19] and inorganic nanoparticles (such as gold, [20,21] iron oxide, [15] manganese oxide). [22,23] Moreover, other 2D nanostructures such as reduced graphene oxide nanosheets can be hybridized with the MXene nanosheets to induce synergistic conductivity and thermal behavior.…”

“…[14,[100][101][102] For example, W 1.33 C-BSA nanocomposite was prepared through surface modification of the nanosheets by BSA to improve their stability in the physiological environment. [19] Through van der Waals attractive interactions and/or hydrogen bonding, BSA, a bioactive macromolecule, functionalized the surface of W1.33C nanosheets. It was shown that the produced nanosheets displayed high dispersity in various physiological solvents such as PBS, cell culture medium, and whole blood diluent.…”

Vacancy defect-promoted nanomaterials for efficient phototherapy and phototherapy-based multimodal Synergistic Therapy

“…With the establishment of some basic theories of defect chemistry, defect engineering for synthesizing various defective nanomaterials with significantly improved and optimized performance has been widely studied, and effectively used in new phototherapeutic nanomaterials ( Jia et al, 2017 ; Yan et al, 2018 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ; Bai et al, 2021 ; Wen et al, 2021 ; Zhou B. et al, 2021 ). It is hoped that defect engineering will not only provide a comprehensive insight into the understanding and utilization of defect chemistry in phototherapeutic nanomaterials, but also offer a novel and effective technique to regulate/optimize the microstructure and characteristics of phototherapeutic nanomaterials.…”

“…In recent years, with the deepening of the research on vacancy-type defects, it can be found that vacancy defects play a significant impact on the physical and chemical properties of phototherapeutic nanomaterials (e.g., optical, photochemical, semiconductor, and plasmonic properties) because they can greatly influence and directly change the microstructure of nanomaterials ( Wang X. et al, 2019 ; Guan et al, 2019 ; Liu H. et al, 2020 ; Cai et al, 2021 ). Meanwhile, vacancy defect-engineering has been explored as a very significant and effective strategy to regulate microstructure and properties of phototherapeutic nanomaterials ( Liu H. et al, 2020 ; Bai et al, 2021 ; Wen et al, 2021 ; Zhou B. et al, 2021 ). Thus, more and more attention have been paid to the influence of vacancy defects on microstructure and properties of phototherapeutic nanomaterials, and constructing and regulating vacancy defects has become an important development direction to achieve efficient nanomaterials and improve their phototherapeutic effect against tumor.…”

“…Thus, more and more attention have been paid to the influence of vacancy defects on microstructure and properties of phototherapeutic nanomaterials, and constructing and regulating vacancy defects has become an important development direction to achieve efficient nanomaterials and improve their phototherapeutic effect against tumor. Recently, the roles of vacancy defects in phototherapeutic nanomaterials have been widely studied and many vacancy defect-promoted nanomaterials have also been synthetized, showing enhanced phototherapeutic efficacy ( Wang X. et al, 2019 ; Guan et al, 2019 ; Liu H. et al, 2020 ; Bai et al, 2021 ; Cai et al, 2021 ; Wen et al, 2021 ; Zhou B. et al, 2021 ). However, due to the diversity and complexity of vacancy defect structures in nanomaterials (e.g., different concentrations, distributions, and types), these influences of vacancy defects on the microstructure and the phototherapeutic efficacy of phototherapeutic nanomaterials still need to be systematically studied and clearly identified.…”