Photothermal
therapy (PTT) agents possess the capability to absorb
light and transform it into heat, providing a promising approach for
inhibiting and eradicating tumor cells. Therefore, there is a significant
interest in developing novel PTT agents with superior biocompatibility
and photothermal conversion efficiency. Herein, Ag2S/g-C3N4 nanoparticles (NPs) with exceptional near-infrared
absorption performance were successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal
method. The photothermal conversion efficiency of Ag2S/g-C3N4 NPs reached 31.28% under 808 nm laser irradiation,
surpassing that of most reported PTT agents. The simultaneous application
of an 808 nm laser resulted in a significant augmentation of reactive
oxygen species (ROS) generation, including ·O2
– and ·OH, which, in turn, triggered apoptosis
and the death of tumor cells via photodynamic therapy (PDT). The efficacy
of tumor elimination was confirmed through cellular and animal experiments,
demonstrating the synergistic effectiveness of PTT and PDT. Importantly,
no tumor regrowth was observed for 30 days after synergistic treatment.
These results highlight the potential of combining photodynamic and
photothermal therapies in nanomaterials for effective tumor therapy,
offering a novel approach to tumor catalytic-photothermal therapy
utilizing nanomaterials.