A Therapeutic Platform Based on Hollow CuSe Nanostructures for Multi-Mode Antitumor Therapy

Multimode therapeutic nanoagents are an urgent need for tumor treatment to surmount major challenges in single-mode antitumor applications. To counter this, we prepared an "all-in-one" therapeutic platform based on near-infrared (NIR)-activatable PEGylation hollow copper selenide nanoparticles (h-CuSe-PEG NPs). The obtained h-CuSePEG NPs exhibit an excellent photothermal conversion efficiency of 54.66% to perform photothermal therapy (PTT). The cavity of h-CuSePEG NPs could be loaded with the anticarcinogen doxorubicin (DOX) to achieve chemotherapy for tumors. Moreover, h-CuSe-PEG NPs could deplete the overexpressed glutathione (GSH) as well as generate center dot OH due to the endogenous H2O2 in the tumor cells to execute chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Additionally, the drug release, the GSH-depletion, and the center dot OH production could be further enhanced due to the in situ hyperthermia produced by PTT under the NIR irradiation. It follows that a satisfactory in vitro and in vivo therapeutic effect is acquired. Hence, the NIR-activatable h-CuSe-based nanoplatform for synergistic photoenhanced CDT/PTT/chemotherapy is promising in tumor treatment.