Activatable Nanoprobe with Aggregation-Induced Dual Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Signal Enhancement for Tumor Precision Imaging and Radiotherapy

Owing to the high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, fluorescence (FL) imaging has been widely applied for visualizing biological processes. To gain insight into molecular events on deeper tissues, photoacoustic (PA) imaging with better deep-tissue imaging capability can be incorporated to provide complementary visualization and quantitative information on the pathological status. However, the development of activatable imaging probes to achieve both FL and PA signal amplification remains challenging because the enhancement of light absorption in PA imaging often caused the quenching of FL signal. Herein, we first developed a caspase-3 enzyme activatable nanoprobe of a nanogapped gold nanoparticle coated with AIE molecule INT20 and DEVD peptides (AuNNP@DEVD-INT20) for tumor FL and PA imaging and subsequent imaging-guided radiotherapy. The nanoprobe could interact with GSH and caspase-3 enzyme to liberate INT20 molecules, leading to AIE. Simultaneously, the in situ self-assembly of AuNPs was achieved through the cross-linking reaction between the sulfhydryl and the maleimide, resulting in ratiometric PA imaging in tumor. Remarkably, the nanoprobe can generate richful ROS for cancer radiotherapy under X-ray irradiation. The platform not only achieves the aggregation-induced FL and PA signal enhancement but also provides a general strategy for imaging of various biomarkers, eventually benefiting precise cancer therapy.