Kim Mou Seung, Nam In Ho, Cha Hyung Joon, Jo Yun Kee
Department of Biomedical Convergence Science and Technology, Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea.
Division of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
J Nanobiotechnology. 2025 Jul 26;23(1):541. doi: 10.1186/s12951-025-03619-0.
Silver sulfide (AgS) quantum dots hold tremendous potential as promising near-infrared (NIR) theranostic agents for cancer treatment owing to their exceptional photophysical properties and deep tissue penetration capabilities. However, their complex synthesis process under harsh reaction conditions and poor retention at the target site still restrict clinical applications. Herein, metalloprotein adhesive nanodots biomineralized using engineered silver-binding mussel protein (MAP-AgP35) are presented as biosafe, high-performance photosensitizers to enable NIR-triggered theranostics for local cancer treatments. By constructing donor-acceptor pairs within the nanostructures through interfacial adhesive bridging between the MAP-AgP35 and AgS minerals, the sticky proteinic AgS nanodots dramatically reduced the energy bandgap for enhanced light absorption; this enables remarkably efficient superoxide radical (O) generation and photothermal conversion (η ~ 59%), in addition to effective fluorescence emission in the second NIR (NIR-II) region. The outstanding optochemical functionalities of these nanodots allow direct eradication of cancer cells effective photodynamic and photothermal actions in the presence of an 808 nm NIR laser, with good biocompatibility toward normal cells. Importantly, these biomineralized nanodots overcome major limitations of conventional photosensitizers, offering a clinically translatable theranostic platform for realizing precise and complete ablation of cancer in a minimally invasive manner.
[Image: see text]
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-025-03619-0.
硫化银（AgS）量子点由于其优异的光物理性质和深层组织穿透能力，作为有前景的近红外（NIR）治疗诊断剂在癌症治疗方面具有巨大潜力。然而，其在苛刻反应条件下的复杂合成过程以及在靶位点的低保留率仍然限制了临床应用。在此，提出了使用工程化银结合贻贝蛋白（MAP-AgP35）生物矿化的金属蛋白粘附纳米点，作为生物安全、高性能的光敏剂，用于实现近红外触发的局部癌症治疗诊断。通过在MAP-AgP35和AgS矿物质之间进行界面粘附桥接，在纳米结构内构建供体-受体对，粘性蛋白质AgS纳米点显著降低了能带隙以增强光吸收；这除了在第二近红外（NIR-II）区域实现有效的荧光发射外，还能实现高效的超氧自由基（O）生成和光热转换（η~59%）。这些纳米点出色的光化学功能允许在808 nm近红外激光存在下通过有效的光动力和光热作用直接根除癌细胞，对正常细胞具有良好的生物相容性。重要的是，这些生物矿化纳米点克服了传统光敏剂的主要局限性，提供了一个可临床转化的治疗诊断平台，以微创方式实现癌症的精确和完全消融。
[图像：见正文]
在线版本包含可在10.1186/s12951-025-03619-0获取的补充材料。
