We present the development of indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded folic acid (FA)-modified multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a versatile platform for targeted dual-mode fluorescent (FL)/photoacoustic (PA) imaging, and photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors. In this work, acid-treated MWCNTs with carboxyl groups were first covalently conjugated with polyethyleneimine (PEI). Followed by sequential modification of FA via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacer, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and succinic anhydride (SAH), multifunctional FA-modified MWCNTs (MWCNT-PEI.SAH-FITC-PEG-FA) were formed. The functional MWCNTs possess exceptional colloidal stability, good cytocompatibility in a given concentration range, and targeting specificity to FA receptor-overexpressing cancer cells. Via π-π stacking interactions, the MWCNTs enable highly efficient loading of ICG and the ICG-loaded MWCNTs display an excellent photostability and can be used for FL imaging/PDT of tumors due to the singlet oxygen (1O2) generation of ICG. Likewise, the near-infrared absorption feature of ICG also enables the MWCNT nanoplatform to be used for highly sensitive PA imaging and PTT of tumors. Our study demonstrates a novel theranostic nanosystem that can be used for targeted dual-mode FL/PA imaging and PTT/PDT of a xenografted tumor model in vivo, which may offer a profound promise for translation into clinical uses.

Indocyanine green-loaded multifunctional multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a versatile platform for targeted dual-mode imaging and phototherapy of tumors

255th National Meeting (2018)

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