Enhanced photothermal-photodynamic therapy for glioma based on near-infrared dye functionalized Fe3O4 superparticles

It is challenging and urgent in neurosurgery to improve therapeutic effect of the most common and lethal malignant glioma in central nervous system. The superadditive therapeutic effect of photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy holds great promise. Herein, a highly efficient photothermal-photodynamic therapy nanoplatform was developed on the basis of Fe3O4-IR806 superparticles. The introduction of the near-infrared (NIR) dye IR806 and the fabrication of the self-assembled structure of the superparticles warrant 3.5 times increase in the photothermal conversion efficiency compared with the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The Fe3O4-IR806 superparticles generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) with the NIR light irradiation by virtue of the dye IR806. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the Fe3O4-IR806 superparticles exhibited negligible toxicity. The Fe3O4-IR806 superparticles efficiently inhibited the cultured glioma cells via photothermal ablation and ROS cytotoxicity in vitro, as well as suppressed the bearing glioma growth in vivo with the NIR light induction. Our results highlight the promise of the Fe3O4-IR806 superparticles for improved photothermal-photodynamic therapy of cancer.