Improving Image‐Guided Surgical and Immunological Tumor Treatment Efficacy by Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapies Based on a Multifunctional NIR AIEgen

Abstract

Multimodal therapy is attracting increasing attention to improve tumor treatment efficacy, but generally requires various complicated ingredients combined within one theranostic system to achieve multiple functions. Herein, a multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform based on a single aggregation‐induced‐emission luminogen (AIEgen), DDTB, is designed to integrate near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence, photothermal, photodynamic, and immunological effects. Intravenously injected AIEgen‐based nanoparticles can efficiently accumulate in tumors with NIR fluorescence to provide preoperative diagnosis. Most of the tumors are excised under intraoperative fluorescence navigation, whereafter, some microscopic residual tumors are completely ablated by photodynamic and photothermal therapies for maximally killing the tumor cells and tissues. Up to 90% of the survival rate can be achieved by this synergistic image‐guided surgery and photodynamic and photothermal therapies. Importantly, the nanoparticles‐mediated photothermal/photodynamic therapy plus programmed death‐ligand 1 antibody significantly induce tumor elimination by enhancing the effect of immunotherapy. This theranostic strategy on the basis of a single AIEgen significantly improves the survival of cancer mice with maximized therapeutic outcomes, and holds great promise for clinical cancer treatment.

The fast-growing field of photo-driven theranostics based on aggregation-induced emission

“…Based on the NP-mediated formation of amorphous AIE aggregates with fluffy molecule packing that resulted from their unique rotor-like twisted conformations, an array of AIEgen-based one-for-all phototheranostic nanoplatforms have been successfully constructed for diverse bioapplications in the last two years. [284][285][286][287][288][289] Typically, conventional conjugated organic small molecules with intense D-A interaction in structures exhibit long-wavelength absorption, high extinction coefficients and excellent photothermal conversion performance, but rather inferior fluorescent emission and ROS generation in nanoaggregates due to the notorious ACQ effect caused by intermolecular strong p-p stacking. Aiming to further improve the phototheranostic properties of the conjugated small molecules and endow them with multimodal functionalities, a useful molecular engineering strategy was proposed to add the finishing touch based on a simple modification of TPE moieties on the sides of the conjugated D-A type molecular backbone for the realization of multiple phototheranostic features.…”

Multiple Light-Activated Photodynamic Therapy of Tetraphenylethylene Derivative with AIE Characteristics for Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Dual-Organelles Targeting

“…PDT can induce both cancer cell death and immune response against the tumor [10,11]. Additionally, intraoperative fluorescence image-guided surgery combined with PDT can eliminate residual tumors and reduce the recurrence of cancer [12][13][14][15]. The use of PDT has gained much attention in the treatment of HCC, and has been approved as a feasible approach for HCC treatment in preclinical studies [6,16].…”

Near-Infrared Inorganic Nanomaterials for Precise Diagnosis and Therapy

“…As a paradigm-shifting treatment modality, immunomodulatory therapies have recently shown striking clinical efficacy in fighting the tumors ( Jiang et al, 2021 ). Despite with promising clinical results, cancer immunotherapy is accompanied with severe side effects.…”