Enhanced Renal Carcinoma Treatment via Synergistic Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy Using Hittorf's Phosphorus-Decorated Polymeric Carbon Nitride Heterostructure

Nanostructured heterojunctions offer a promising solution to overcome the limitations of narrow absorption spectra, limited penetration depths, and potential harm to healthy cells in phototherapy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) treatment with nanomaterials. In this study, a heterostructure (PCN@HP) by decorating Hittorf's phosphorus nanorods onto biocompatible polymeric carbon nitride (PCN), enabling excitation by NIR light is designed. Compared with PCN and HP alone, the synthesized heterostructure generated localized heat upon broad absorption spectra of irradiation, boosting charge migration and separation, generating cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Then, via in vitro and in vivo experiments, it is confirmed that the NIR-mediated PCN@HP heterojunction is a safe and effective approach for synchronous photothermal and photodynamic therapy treatment of ccRCC. Collectively, the PCN@HP heterojunction holds great potential as a non-invasive synergistic, dual-mode therapeutic nanomedicine for efficient tumor nano-therapy. A heterostructure of Hittorf's phosphorus (HP) nanorods decorated with polymeric carbon nitride is designed. This heterostructure exhibits an enhanced antitumor effect via the combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) involving types I and II. This system can serve as a prospective imaging-guided, real-time, non-invasive, safe, and synergistic dual-mode therapeutic nanomedicine for efficient tumor nano-therapy. image