I-Labeled gold nanoframeworks for radiotherapy-combined second near-infrared photothermal therapy of cancer.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has shown great promise for cancer treatment light-triggered heat generation, while the anticancer efficacy of sole PTT is often limited. In this study, we report the use of radionuclide I-labeled gold nanoframeworks (I-AuNFs) for radiotherapy-combined second near-infrared (NIR-II) PTT of breast cancer. AuNFs synthesized a simple reduction approach are surface functionalized with polydopamine and poly(ethylene glycol), followed by labeling with I. The formed I-AuNFs with a high photothermal conversion efficacy and stable radioactivity can effectively accumulate into subcutaneous 4T1 mouse models as confirmed by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Upon 1064 nm laser irradiation of tumors, local heat is generated for NIR-II PTT, which combines with radiotherapy to achieve a much higher therapeutic efficacy relative to sole treatment. As such, I-AuNFs-mediated radiotherapy-combined NIR-II PTT results in the effective inhibition of the growth of subcutaneous tumors. This study thus provides a facile nanoplatform for effective combination cancer therapy.