Harnessing Synergistic Interplay of Twisted and Planar Structures for the Development of NIR-II Phototheranostic Agents

作者：Huilin Xie, Wenjing Liu, Shibo Cheng, Ying Peng, Rufan Mo, Rongyuan Zhang, Junyi Cai, Peikun Xin, Zhen Tian, Ryan T. K. Kwok, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Feng Xu, Guorui Jin, Jianquan Zhang, Ben Zhong Tang · 发表于：ACS Nano · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1021/acsnano.5c04254 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics、Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials、Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications

Developing phototheranostic agents capable of simultaneous cancer diagnosis and therapy, particularly those emitting in the second near-infrared region (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm), offers considerable prospects. However, achieving efficient fluorescence imaging (FLI) and heat generation for photothermal therapy (PTT) by NIR-II organic dyes remains a challenge primarily due to inadequate photon absorption and competitive energy dissipation pathways. Herein, we employed a molecular design strategy termed “planar core + twisted periphery” to develop a NIR-II phototheranostic agent, 4TPE-TB. This molecule features a coplanar central core to enhance intramolecular conjugation and four highly twisted peripheral rotors to suppress detrimental intermolecular stacking. 4TPE-TB exhibits high molar absorptivity (4.0 × 10 4 M –1 cm –1 ), excitation at long wavelengths (980 nm), and desirable fluorescence and photothermal performance, superior to its analogs synthesized using previous molecular strategies. By formulating 4TPE-TB into nanoparticles, we successfully achieved high-precision NIR-II FLI and efficient PTT in cancer models. And we find out the dual role of the nanoparticles in direct tumor ablation and immune system activation, reinforcing their potential as a powerful therapeutic platform for cancer treatment. This work highlights a successful design rationale of NIR-II phototheranostic agents, offering the potential to enhance the precision and efficacy of cancer diagnostics and tr...