靶向MC1R的NIR-II聚集诱导发射纳米颗粒用于黑色素瘤成像

Malignant melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer for human beings. Thus, developing melanoma-targeted fluorescent probes for early diagnosis is important to increase the survival rates. Here, a novel melanocortin-1 receptor-targeted fluorescent probe named melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)-tetraphenylethene (TPE)-benzobisthiadiazole (BBT) nanoparticles (NPs), based on the aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) (TPE-BBT) with second near-infrared (NIR-II) emission was developed for in vivo imaging of melanoma. MSH-TPE-BBT NPs exhibit significant tissue penetration, photostability, biosafety, and specific targeting properties in human melanoma cells and xenograft tumors of human melanoma cells in mice. These findings revealed that these NPs could be an excellent nano-platform for early diagnosis of melanoma.