State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers & Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, PR China.
The Institute for Translational Nanomedicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China.
Biomater Sci. 2020 May 19;8(10):2955-2965. doi: 10.1039/d0bm00372g.
One of the major limitations of current cancer therapy is the inability to destroy tumors with high efficacy and minimal invasiveness. Herein, we developed a proof-of-concept fixed-point "blasting" strategy to destroy the "castle" of tumors and realized efficient interventional photothermal therapy. The "blasting" materials were composed of photothermal nanoparticles (ancient ink nanoparticles, AINP) and a low boiling point phase change agent (perfluoromethylcyclopentane, FMCP). An injectable in situ-forming thermal-responsive hydrogel composed of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers was employed as a carrier to load the AINP and FMCP. The obtained hydrogel system was a flowable aqueous solution at low or room temperature for facile injection; meanwhile, once administered, it rapidly transformed into a fixed gel at a body temperature of about 37 °C. This unique property could effectually fix the AINP and FMCP and thus restrict the destruction region inside the tumor. Subsequently, triggered by second window near-infrared light, the solid tumors were effectively destroyed by a mild photothermal effect and the subsequent gas mechanical damage. We envisage that this fixed-point "blasting" strategy will pave a new way for the next generation of cancer-interventional photothermal therapy.
目前癌症治疗的主要局限之一是无法高效且微创地摧毁肿瘤。在此，我们开发了一种固定点“爆破”策略的概念验证，以摧毁肿瘤的“城堡”，并实现高效的介入光热治疗。“爆破”材料由光热纳米颗粒（古墨纳米颗粒，AINP）和低沸点相变剂（全氟甲基环戊烷，FMCP）组成。一种可注射的原位形成的热响应水凝胶由可生物降解和生物相容的聚合物组成，用作负载 AINP 和 FMCP 的载体。所得到的水凝胶系统在低温或室温下为可流动的水溶液，便于注射；同时，一旦给药，它会在约 37°C 的体温下迅速转化为固定凝胶。这种独特的性质可以有效地固定 AINP 和 FMCP，从而限制肿瘤内部的破坏区域。随后，在第二近红外窗口光的触发下，通过温和的光热效应和随后的气体力学损伤，有效地破坏了实体瘤。我们设想，这种定点“爆破”策略将为下一代癌症介入光热治疗铺平道路。
