Polydopamine-doped virus-like structured nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging guided synergistic chemo-/photothermal therapy

Abstract

The therapeutic diagnosis effect of cancer commonly depends on the cellular uptake efficiency of nanomaterials. However, the morphology of nanomaterials significantly affects cellular uptake capability. Herein, we designed a polydopamine-doped virus-like structured nanoparticle (GNR@HPMO@PVMSN) composed of a gold nanorod (GNR) core, hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica (HPMO) shell and polydopamine-doped virus-like mesoporous silica nanoparticle (PVMSN) outer shell. Compared with conventional gold nanorod@hollow periodic mesoporous organosilica core–shell nanoparticles (GNR@HPMO), GNR@HPMO@PVMSN with its virus-like structure was proved to enhance the efficiency of cellular uptake. GNR@HPMO@PVMSN with the virtues of high photothermal conversion efficiency and good photoacoustic imaging (PAI) ability was expected to be a promising nanotheranostic agent for imaging guided cancer treatment. The experiments in vitro and in vivo proved that GNR@HPMO@PVMSN had good biocompatibility as well as photothermal conversion ability. In addition, DOX loading and pH-/NIR-response DOX release abilities of GNR@HPMO@PVMSN were also verified in vitro. Therefore, the GNR@HPMO@PVMSN offers a promising strategy for PAI directed synergistic chemo-/photothermal therapy, which improves the therapeutic effect of the nanomaterial on tumors. This work explores the effects of rough surfaces on cellular uptake and provides a versatile theranostic platform for biomedical applications.