Hyaluronic acid functionalized iron–platinum nanoparticles for photothermal therapy and photoacoustic imaging

This study represents an innovative approach to construct multi-functional nanoplatforms for cancer diagnosis and therapy by combining hyaluronic acid (HA) with iron-platinum nanoparticles (FePt NPs). These HA-coated FePt NPs, referred to as FePt@HA NPs, demonstrated remarkable biocompatibility, high absorption, and excellent light-to-heat conversion properties in the near-infrared (NIR) region, making them ideal candidates for photothermal therapy (PTT). In vitro studies revealed their effective cancer cell eradication under NIR laser irradiation, while in vivo experiments on mice showcased their superior heating capabilities. Moreover, FePt@HA NPs exhibited a distinct and strong photoacoustic (PA) signal, facilitating enhanced and precise intra-tumoral PA imaging. Our results highlight the potential of FePt@HA NPs as promising photothermal agents for future PTT applications. They offer high selectivity, precision, and minimal side effects in cancer treatment, along with their valuable PA imaging application for tumor localization and characterization.