Polynorepinephrine Nanoparticles: A Novel Photothermal Nanoagent for Chemo-Photothermal Cancer Therapy

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Abstract
Novel photothermal nanoagents (PTNAs) with excellent photothermal performance, smart-responsive property and biocompatibility are in urgent need for precise chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. Herein, polynorepinephrine nanoparticles (PNE NPs) with high photothermal conversion efficiency (η) of 808 nm laser (67%), pH/thermal responsibility and little to no long-term toxicity were synthesized from an endogenic neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Comparing to their analogues polydopamine (PDA) NPs, a widely used PTNA, PNE NPs exhibited higher η value (enhanced 1.63-folds) and better cellular uptake efficiency (enhanced 2.57-folds). After modifying with PEG and loading with doxorubicin (DOX), PNE-PEG@DOX could realize responsive release of DOX under either a cytolysosome pH microenvironment (pH 5.0) or an 808 nm laser irradiation, resulting in an enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy of DOX. Besides, in vivo combination therapy leads to nearly complete ablation of tumor tissues, while no significant side effects were found in normal tissues. Hence, this intelligent and biocompatible nano-platform based on PNE NPs holds great potential in promoting the clinic transformation of precise chemo-photothermal cancer therapy.
Funding Information
  • Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (31870986, 81271689, 31271009)

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