INPIC-4F Nonfullerene Acceptor Nanoparticles for Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Photothermal and Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

Phototheranostics, which consists of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), has exhibited huge potential in preventing the development of cancer. Then, phototheranostics utilizing photoacoustic imaging (PAI) in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region, combined with high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In this work, we designed and prepared a fused-ring acceptor–donor–acceptor (A–D–A) molecule structure named INPIC-4F NP, known for its strong NIR light absorption and hydrophobic properties. INPIC-4F NPs in aqueous solution behaved excellently with NIR-II and PAI ability with NIR absorption at 808 nm and its fluorescence peaked at ∼1000 nm. With singlet oxygen in a quantum yield of 11%, INPIC-4F NPs showed potential for PDT ability. Moreover, INPIC-4F showed a PCE value of 83% under laser irradiation, which was obviously higher than that caused by photothermal agents, demonstrating an excellent PTT capacity. Combining previous and present results, INPIC-4F nanoparticles could improve the treatment effect for cancer through fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal and photodynamic synergistic therapy.