Abstract
The integration of photothermal and near-infrared (NIR) imaging capabilities of indocyanine green (ICG) small molecules has attracted considerable attention in tumor diagnosis and treatment. However, the abnormal upregulation of cellular heat shock proteins (HSPs) induced by photothermal therapy (PTT) enhances cellular heat resistance, thereby severely affecting the efficacy of PTT. In this study, to address the impact of HSPs on the efficacy of PTT while obtaining high-quality NIR fluorescence imaging in the NIR region, we designed a targeted peptide@ICG nanofluorescent probe encapsulated in liposomes. The introduced cRGD targeting peptide not only possesses tumor-targeting capabilities but also features LA as the last amino acid in the targeting peptide, which can generate nitric oxide (NO) under reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggering. It can happen under 808 nm single-light source NIR light, and the guanidine group in the peptide decomposes and combines with singlet oxygen molecules to generate NO gas molecules, thereby exerting an elevated photothermal effect by inhibiting the expression of HSP70. In addition, the nanoprobes enable deep imaging and treatment of glioma in situ and can be combined with a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for multimodal imaging. This composite probe demonstrates synergistic tumor therapeutic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), PTT, and gas therapy, offering a promising strategy for cancer treatment.
Overview
- The study aims to design a targeted peptide@ICG nanofluorescent probe encapsulated in liposomes for high-quality NIR fluorescence imaging in the NIR region while addressing the impact of HSPs on the efficacy of PTT. The introduced cRGD targeting peptide not only possesses tumor-targeting capabilities but also features LA as the last amino acid in the targeting peptide, which can generate nitric oxide (NO) under reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggering. The nanoprobes enable deep imaging and treatment of glioma in situ and can be combined with a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for multimodal imaging. The study demonstrates synergistic tumor therapeutic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), PTT, and gas therapy, offering a promising strategy for cancer treatment.
Comparative Analysis & Findings
- The study compares the outcomes observed under different experimental conditions or interventions detailed in the study. The results show that the targeted peptide@ICG nanofluorescent probe encapsulated in liposomes exhibits synergistic tumor therapeutic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), PTT, and gas therapy. The study demonstrates that the introduced cRGD targeting peptide not only possesses tumor-targeting capabilities but also features LA as the last amino acid in the targeting peptide, which can generate nitric oxide (NO) under reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggering. The nanoprobes enable deep imaging and treatment of glioma in situ and can be combined with a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for multimodal imaging. The study also shows that the nanoprobes can address the impact of HSPs on the efficacy of PTT while obtaining high-quality NIR fluorescence imaging in the NIR region.
Implications and Future Directions
- The study's findings suggest that the targeted peptide@ICG nanofluorescent probe encapsulated in liposomes can address the impact of HSPs on the efficacy of PTT while obtaining high-quality NIR fluorescence imaging in the NIR region. The study demonstrates synergistic tumor therapeutic effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT), PTT, and gas therapy, offering a promising strategy for cancer treatment. The study also highlights the potential of the nanoprobes for deep imaging and treatment of glioma in situ and can be combined with a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system for multimodal imaging. Future research directions could include the optimization of the nanoprobes' design for improved tumor targeting, the evaluation of the nanoprobes' efficacy in other tumor types, and the exploration of the nanoprobes' potential for combination with other imaging modalities.