Indocyanine Green-Loaded\nAdhesive Proteinic Nanoparticles\nfor Effective Locoregional and Prolonged Photothermal Anticancer Therapy

Conventional anticancer therapies, including surgical\nresection,\nradiation, and chemotherapy, are the primary modalities for treating\nvarious forms of cancer. However, these treatments often bring significant\nside effects and risk of recurrence, underscoring the need for more\ntargeted and less invasive therapeutic options. To address this challenge,\nwe developed an adhesive nanoparticle (NP)-based effective anticancer\nphotothermal therapy (PTT) system using bioengineered mussel adhesion\nprotein (MAP). The unique underwater tissue adhesive properties of\nMAP NPs enabled targeted delivery and prolonged retention at the tumor\nsite, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy. Our innovative indocyanine\ngreen (ICG)-loaded MAP NPs (MAP@ICG NPs) demonstrated strong photothermal\ncapability and stability, and potent anticancer activity in vitro.\nIn vivo intratumor injection of the MAP@ICG NPs showed remarkable\nanticancer PTT effects, effectively reducing tumor growth with minimal\ndamage to surrounding tissues. The development and utilization of\nthis adhesive proteinic NP-based PTT system represent a significant\nadvancement in cancer therapy, offering a promising alternative that\ncombines the precision of NP delivery with effective therapeutic efficacy.