Multiple rotor-based photothermal agents for NIR-I/NIR-II fluorescence imaging-guided tumor phototherapy

Abstract

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is emerging as a promising alternative therapy for tumor ablation through spatiotemporally controlled hyperthermia. However, designing near-infrared photothermal agents with a high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and high photostability remains considerably challenging. To address this limitation, we engineered optimal molecule 3TPA by employing CF3-BODIPY as an electron-deficient core and incorporating three electron-donating triphenylamine rotors, which showed an extended absorption wavelength and improved PCE. To optimize the therapeutic performance, 3TPA was further encapsulated into a DSPE-mPEG5k-based amphiphilic polymer to form 3TPA NPs, which exhibited high PCE (η = 57.2%) and remarkable photostability. In vivo studies revealed that 3TPA NPs selectively accumulated in tumor sites under NIR-I/NIR-II fluorescence imaging guidance, simultaneously enabling effective photo-mediated tumor ablation through a precision PTT effect. This work not only presents a robust NIR-II therapeutic agent but also opens up more possibilities for its application in photothermal therapy in the field of biomedicine.

Graphical abstract: Multiple rotor-based photothermal agents for NIR-I/NIR-II fluorescence imaging-guided tumor phototherapy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 may 2025
Accepted
04 iyl 2025
First published
07 iyl 2025

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, Advance Article

Multiple rotor-based photothermal agents for NIR-I/NIR-II fluorescence imaging-guided tumor phototherapy

N. Shi, R. Zhang, S. Yao, Q. Sun, Y. Wu, X. Yang, Y. Yang, Y. Tan, J. Zhang, Y. Chen and Z. Guo, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2025, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D5TB01221J

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