Near-IR-triggered photothermal/photodynamic dual-modality therapy system via chitosan hybrid nanospheres

Gold nanorods (AuNR)- and indocyanine green (ICG)-encapsulated chitosan hybrid nanospheres (CS-AuNR-ICG NSs) were successfully prepared and used for photothermal and photodynamic combined therapy with a single irradiation. These nanospheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The in vivo anticancer effects of the hybrid nanospheres were examined by photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and PTT/PDT combined therapy. It was found that the hybrid nanospheres had spherical size of 180 nm and a broad adsorption from 650 nm to 900 nm. The spherical chitosan matrix could effectively load ICG and protect it from the rapid hydrolysis. In vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging and biodistribution demonstrated that ICG and AuNR could be selectively delivered to the tumor site with high accumulation. With the irradiation by 808 nm laser, chitosan hybrid nanospheres were capable to simultaneously produce sufficient hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species to kill cancer cells at irradiation sites, resulting in the complete tumor disappearance in the most of tumor-bearing mice. Compared with photothermal therapy or photodynamic therapy alone, the combined therapy had a significantly synergistic effect and improved the therapeutic efficacy.