An Integrated Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Deep‐Tissue Dual‐Mode Imaging

The combination of biocompatible superparamagnetic and photoluminescent nanoparticles (NPs) is intensively studied as highly promising multifunctional (magnetic confinement and targeting, imaging, etc.) tools in biomedical applications. However, most of these hybrid NPs exhibit low signal contrast and shallow tissue penetration for optical imaging due to tissue‐induced optical extinction and autofluorescence, since in many cases, their photoluminescent components emit in the visible spectral range. Yet, the search for multifunctional NPs suitable for high photoluminescence signal‐to‐noise ratio, deep‐tissue imaging is still ongoing. Herein, a biocompatible core/shell/shell sandwich structured Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@NaYF₄:Nd³⁺ nanoplatform possessing excellent superparamagnetic and near‐infrared (excitation) to near‐infrared (emission), i.e., NIR‐to‐NIR photoluminescence properties is developed. They can be rapidly magnetically confined, allowing the NIR photoluminescence signal to be detected through a tissue as thick as 13 mm, accompanied by high T₂ relaxivity in magnetic resonance imaging. The fact that both the excitation and emission wavelengths of these NPs are in the optically transparent biological windows, along with excellent photostability, fast magnetic response, significant T₂‐contrast enhancement, and negligible cytotoxicity, makes them extremely promising for use in high‐resolution, deep‐tissue dual‐mode (optical and magnetic resonance) in vivo imaging and magnetic‐driven applications.     

Design and Synthesis of “All‐in‐One” Multifunctional FeS2 Nanoparticles for Magnetic Resonance and Near‐Infrared Imaging Guided Photothermal Therapy of Tumors

The ideal theranostic nanoplatform for tumors is a single nanoparticle that has a single semiconductor or metal component and contains all multimodel imaging and therapy abilities. The design and preparation of such a nanoparticle remains a serious challenge. Here, with FeS₂ as a model of a semiconductor, the tuning of vacancy concentrations for obtaining “all‐in‐one” type FeS₂ nanoparticles is reported. FeS₂ nanoparticles with size of ≈30 nm have decreased photoabsorption intensity from the visible to near‐infrared (NIR) region, due to a low S vacancy concentration. By tuning their shape/size and then enhancing the S vacancy concentration, the photoabsorption intensity of FeS₂ nanoparticles with size of ≈350 nm (FeS₂‐350) goes up with the increase of the wavelength from 550 to 950 nm, conferring the high NIR photothermal effect for thermal imaging. Furthermore, this nanoparticle has excellent magnetic properties for T₂‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subsequently, FeS₂‐350 phosphate buffer saline (PBS) dispersion is injected into the tumor‐bearing mice. Under the irradiation of 915‐nm laser, the tumor can be ablated and the metastasis lesions in liver suffer significant inhibition. Therefore, FeS₂‐350 has great potential to be used as novel “all‐in‐one” multifunctional theranostic nanoagents for MRI and NIR dual‐modal imaging guided NIR‐photothermal ablation therapy (PAT) of tumors.     

Gold‐Coated Fe3O4 Nanoroses with Five Unique Functions for Cancer Cell Targeting,Imaging, and Therapy

The development of nanomaterials that combine diagnostic and therapeutic functions within a single nanoplatform is extremely important for molecular medicine. Molecular imaging with simultaneous diagnosis and therapy will provide the multimodality needed for accurate diagnosis and targeted therapy. Here, gold‐coated iron oxide (Fe₃O₄@Au) nanoroses with five distinct functions are demonstrated, integrating aptamer‐based targeting, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical imaging, photothermal therapy. and chemotherapy into one single probe. The inner Fe₃O₄ core functions as an MRI agent, while the photothermal effect is achieved through near‐infrared absorption by the gold shell, causing a rapid rise in temperature and also resulting in a facilitated release of the anticancer drug doxorubicin carried by the nanoroses. Where the doxorubicin is released, it is monitored by its fluorescence. Aptamers immobilized on the surfaces of the nanoroses enable efficient and selective drug delivery, imaging, and photothermal effect with high specificity. The five‐function‐embedded nanoroses show great advantages in multimodality.     

Ultrastable and Biocompatible NIR‐II Quantum Dots for Functional Bioimaging

Fluorescence bioimaging in the second near‐infrared spectral region (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm) can provide advantages of high spatial resolution and large penetration depth, due to low light scattering. However, NIR‐II fluorophores simultaneously possessing high brightness, good stability, and biocompatibility are very rare. Hydrophobic NIR‐II emissive PbS@CdS quantum dots (QDs) are surface‐functionalized, via a silica and amphiphilic polymer (Pluronic F‐127) dual‐layer coating method. The as‐synthesized PbS@CdS@SiO₂@F‐127 nanoparticles (NPs) are aqueously dispersible and possess a quantum yield of ≈5.79%, which is much larger than those of most existing NIR‐II fluorophores. Thanks to the dual‐layer protection, PbS@CdS@SiO₂@F‐127 NPs show excellent chemical stability in a wide range of pH values. The biocompatibility of PbS@CdS@SiO₂@F‐127 NPs is studied, and the results show that the toxicity of the NPs in vivo could be minimal. PbS@CdS@SiO₂@F‐127 NPs are then utilized for in vivo and real‐time NIR‐II fluorescence microscopic imaging of mouse brain. The architecture of blood vessels is visualized and the imaging depth reaches 950 µm. Furthermore, in vivo NIR‐II fluorescence imaging of gastrointestinal tract is achieved, by perfusing PbS@CdS@SiO₂@F‐127 NPs into mice at a rather low dosage. This work illustrates the potential of ultrastable, biocompatible, and bright NIR‐II QDs in biomedical and clinical applications, which require deep tissue imaging.     

Furin‐Controlled Fe3O4 Nanoparticle Aggregation and 19F Signal “Turn‐On” for Precise MR Imaging of Tumors

For cancer diagnosis, ¹H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is advantageous in sensitivity but lacks selectivity. Endogenous ¹⁹F MRI signal in humans is barely detectable and thus ¹⁹F MRI has very high selectivity. A combination of ¹H and ¹⁹F MRI is ideal for precise tumor imaging but a protease‐controlled strategy of simultaneous T₂ ¹H MRI enhancement and ¹⁹F MRI “Turn‐On” has not been reported. Here, used is a click condensation reaction to rationally project a dual‐functional fluorine probe 4‐(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid (TFMB)‐Arg‐Val‐Arg‐Arg‐Cys(StBu)‐Lys‐CBT ( 1 ), which is further utilized to functionalize Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle ( IONP ) to achieve IONP@1 . As such, the IONP aggregation can be activated by furin addition, thereby enhancing the T₂ ¹H MRI signal and switching the ¹⁹F NMR/MRI signal “On”. Using this strategy, IONP@1 is successfully applied to detect the activity of the furin enzyme with “Turn‐On” ¹⁹F NMR/MRI and T₂ ¹H MRI signals are enhanced. Moreover, IONP@1 is also applied for precise dual‐mode (¹H and ¹⁹F) MR imaging of tumors in zebrafish under 14.1 T. The current approach, therefore, provides a feasible and robust means to reconcile the dilemma between selectivity and sensitivity of conventional MRI probes. More importantly, it is envisioned that, by substituting the TFMB moiety in 1 with a perfluorinated compound, this “smart” method could be of potential use for precise ¹H MR and ¹⁹F MR imaging of tumor in mouse or in bigger rodents in near future.     

Time‐Dependent T1–T2 Switchable Magnetic Resonance Imaging Realized by c(RGDyK) Modified Ultrasmall Fe3O4 Nanoprobes

To achieve the accurate diagnosis of tumor with the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nanomaterials‐based contrast agents are developed rapidly. Here, a tumor targeting nanoprobe of c(RGDyK) modified ultrasmall sized iron oxide is reported with high saturation magnetization and high T₁‐weighted imaging capability, attributed to a large number of paramagnetic centers on the surface of nanoprobes and rapid water proton exchange rate (inner sphere model), as well as strong superparamagnetism (outer sphere model). These nanoprobes could actively target and gradually accumulate at the tumor site with a time‐dependent T₁–T₂ contrast enhancement imaging effect. In in vivo MRI experiments, the nanoprobes exhibit the best T₁ contrast enhancement at 30 min after intravenous administration, followed by gradually vanishing and generating T₂ contrast enhancement with increasing time at tumor site. This is likely due to time‐dependent nanoprobes aggregation in tumor, in good agreement with in vitro experiment where aggregated nanoprobes display larger r₂/r₁ value (19.1) than that of the dispersed nanoprobes (2.8). This dynamic property is completely different from other T₁‐T₂ dual‐modal nanoprobes which commonly exhibit the T₁‐ and T₂‐weighted enhancement effect at the same time. To sum up, these c(RGDyK) modified ultrasmall Fe₃O₄ nanoprobes have significant potential to improve the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity in MRI.     

Magnetically Decorated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes as Dual MRI and SPECT Contrast Agents

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the most promising nanomaterials to be used in biomedicine for drug/gene delivery as well as biomedical imaging. This study develops radio‐labeled, iron oxide‐decorated multiwalled CNTs (MWNTs) as dual magnetic resonance (MR) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) contrast agents. Hybrids containing different amounts of iron oxide are synthesized by in situ generation. Physicochemical characterisations reveal the presence of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) granted the magnetic properties of the hybrids. Further comprehensive examinations including high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), fast Fourier transform simulations, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy assure the conformation of prepared SPION as γ‐Fe₂O₃. High r₂ relaxivities are obtained in both phantom and in vivo MRI compared to the clinically approved SPION Endorem. The hybrids are successfully radio labeled with technetium‐99m through a functionalized bisphosphonate and enable SPECT/CT imaging and γ‐scintigraphy to quantitatively analyze the biodistribution in mice. No abnormality is found by histological examination and the presence of SPION and MWNT are identified by Perls stain and Neutral Red stain, respectively. TEM images of liver and spleen tissues show the co‐localization of SPION and MWNTs within the same intracellular vesicles, indicating the in vivo stability of the hybrids after intravenous injection. The results demonstrate the capability of the present SPION–MWNT hybrids as dual MRI and SPECT contrast agents for in vivo use.     

Multifunctional Biomedical Imaging in Physiological and Pathological Conditions Using a NIR‐II Probe

Compared with imaging in the visible (400–650 nm) and near‐infrared window I (NIR‐I, 650–900 nm) regions, imaging in near‐infrared window II (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm) is a highly promising in vivo imaging modality with improved resolution and deeper tissue penetration. Here, a small molecule NIR‐II dye,5,5′‐(1H,5H‐benzo[1,2‐c:4,5‐c′] bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole)‐4,8‐diyl)bis(N,N‐bis(4‐(3‐((tert‐butyldimethylsilyl)oxy)propyl)phenyl) thiophen‐2‐amine), is successfully encapsulated into phospholipid vesicles to prepare a probe CQS1000. The novel NIR‐II probe is studied for in vivo multifunctional biological imaging. The results of this study indicate that the NIR‐II vesicle CQS1000 can noninvasively and dynamically visualize and monitor many physiological and pathological conditions of circulatory systems, including lymphatic drainage and routing, angiogenesis of tumor, and vascular deformity such as arterial thrombus formation and ischemia with high spatial and temporal resolution. More importantly, by virtue of the favorable half‐life of blood circulation of CQS1000, NIR‐II imaging is capable of aiding precise resection of tumor such as osteosarcoma and accelerating the process of lymph node dissection to complete sentinel lymph node biopsy for better decision making during the tumor surgery. Overall, CQS1000 is a highly promising NIR‐II probe for multifunctional biomedical imaging in physiological and pathological conditions, surpassing traditional NIR‐I imaging modality and pathologic assessments for clinical diagnosis and treatment.     

SnTe@MnO2‐SP Nanosheet–Based Intelligent Nanoplatform for Second Near‐Infrared Light–Mediated Cancer Theranostics

Near infrared light, especially the second near‐infrared light (NIR II) biowindows with deep penetration and high sensitivity are widely used for optical diagnosis and phototherapy. Here, a novel kind of 2D SnTe@MnO₂‐SP nanosheet (NS)‐based nanoplatform is developed for cancer theranostics with NIR II‐mediated precise optical imaging and effective photothermal ablation of mouse xenografted tumors. The 2D SnTe@MnO₂‐SP NSs are fabricated via a facile method combining ball‐milling and liquid exfoliation for synthesis of SnTe NSs, and surface coating MnO₂ shell and soybean phospholipid (SP). The ultrathin SnTe@MnO₂‐SP NSs reveal notably high photothermal conversion efficiency (38.2% in NIR I and 43.9% in NIR II). The SnTe@MnO₂‐SP NSs inherently feature tumor microenvironment (TME)‐responsive biodegradability, and the main metabolite TeO₃^2? shows great antitumor effect, coupling synergetic chemotherapy for cancer. Moreover, the SnTe@MnO₂‐SP NSs also exhibit great potential for fluorescence, photoacoustic (PA), and photothermal imaging agents in the NIR II biowindow with much higher resolution and sensitivity. This is the first report, as far as is known, with such an inorganic nanoagent setting fluorescence/PA/photothermal imaging and photothermal therapy in NIR II biowindow and TME‐responsive biodegradability rolled into one, which provide insight into the clinical potential for cancer theranostics.     

A New Single 808 nm NIR Light‐Induced Imaging‐Guided Multifunctional Cancer Therapy Platform

The NIR light‐induced imaging‐guided cancer therapy is a promising route in the targeting cancer therapy field. However, up to now, the existing single‐modality light‐induced imaging effects are not enough to meet the higher diagnosis requirement. Thus, the multifunctional cancer therapy platform with multimode light‐induced imaging effects is highly desirable. In this work, captopril stabilized‐Au nanoclusters Au₂₅(Capt)₁₈?(Au₂₅) are assembled into the mesoporous silica shell coating outside of Nd³⁺‐sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for the first time. The newly formed Au₂₅ shell exhibits considerable photothermal effects, bringing about the photothermal imaging and photoacoustic imaging properties, which couple with the upconversion luminescence imaging. More importantly, the three light‐induced imaging effects can be simultaneously achieved by exciting with a single NIR light (808 nm), which is also the triggering factor for the photothermal and photodynamic cancer therapy. Besides, the nanoparticles can also present the magnetic resonance and computer tomography imaging effects due to the Gd³⁺ and Yb³⁺ ions in the UCNPs. Furthermore, due to the photodynamic and the photothermal effects, the nanoparticles possess efficient in vivo tumor growth inhibition under the single irradiation of 808 nm light. The multifunctional cancer therapy platform with multimode imaging effects realizes a true sense of light‐induced imaging‐guided cancer therapy.     

Novel Au–SiO2–WO3 Core–Shell Composite Nanoparticles for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy with Potential Application in Cancer Cell Imaging

With the rapid development of nanotechnology during the last decades, the ability to detect and control individual objects at the nanoscale has enabled us to deal with complex biomedical challenges. In cancer imaging, novel nanoparticles (NPs) offer promising potential to identify single cancer cells and precisely label larger areas of cancer tissues. Herein, a new class of size tunable core–shell composite (Au–SiO₂–WO₃) nanoparticles is reported. These nanoparticles display an easily improvable ≈10³ surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factor with a double Au shell for dried samples over Si wafers and several orders of magnitude for liquid samples. WO₃ core nanoparticles measuring 20–50 nm in diameter are sheathed by an intermediate 10–60 nm silica layer, produced by following the Stöber‐based process and Turkevich method, followed by a 5–20 nm thick Au outer shell. By attaching 4‐mercaptobenzoic acid (4‐MBA) molecules as Raman reporters to the Au, high‐resolution Raman maps that pinpoint the nanoparticles' location are obtained. The preliminary results confirm their advantageous SERS properties for single‐molecule detection, significant cell viability after 24 h and in vitro cell imaging using coherent anti‐stokes Raman scattering. The long‐term objective is to measure SERS nanoparticles in vivo using near‐infrared light.     

Single Ho3+‐Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles for High‐Performance T2‐Weighted Brain Tumor Diagnosis and MR/UCL/CT Multimodal Imaging

Multimodal bio‐imaging has attracted great attention for early and accurate diagnosis of tumors, which, however, suffers from the intractable issues such as complicated multi‐step syntheses for composite nanostructures and interferences among different modalities like fluorescence quenching by MRI contrast agents (e.g., magnetic iron oxide NPs). Herein, the first example of T₂‐weighted MR imaging of Ho³⁺‐doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is presented, which, very attractively, could also be simultaneously used for upconversion luminesence (UCL) and CT imaging, thus enabling high performance multi‐modal MRI/UCL/CT imagings in single UCNPs. The new finding of T₂‐MRI contrast enhancement by integrated sensitizer (Yb³⁺) and activator (Ho³⁺) in UCNPs favors accurate MR diagnosis of brain tumor and provides a new strategy for acquiring T₂‐MRI/optical imaging without fluorescence quenching. Unlike other multi‐phased composite nanostructures for multimodality imaging, this Ho³⁺‐doped UCNPs are featured with simplicity of synthesis and highly efficient multimodal MRI/UCL/CT imaging without fluorescence quenching, thus simplify nanostructure and probe preparation and enable win–win multimodality imaging.     

Size Switchable Nanoclusters Fueled by Extracellular ATP for Promoting Deep Penetration and MRI‐Guided Tumor Photothermal Therapy

Protein‐based theranostic agents (PBTAs) exhibit superior performance in the diagnosis and therapy of cancers. However, the in vivo applications of PBTA are largely limited by undesired accumulation, penetration, or selectivity. Here, an ATP‐supersensitive protein cluster is fabricated for promoting PBTA delivery and enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐guided tumor photothermal therapy. Gd³⁺‐ and CuS‐coloaded small bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (GdCuB) are synthesized as the model protein with a size of 9 nm and are encapsulated into charge switchable polycations (DEP) to form DEP/GdCuB nanoclusters of 120 nm. In blood circulation, DEP/GdCuB significantly extends the half‐lifetime and thereby enhances the tumor accumulation of GdCuB. When the clusters reach the tumor site, the extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) can effectively trigger the release of GdCuB, resulting in tumoral deep penetration as well as the activation of T₁‐weighted MRI (r₁ value switched from 2.8 × 10^?3 to 11.8 × 10^?3 m ^?1 s^?1). Furthermore, this delivery strategy also improves the tumoral photothermal therapy efficacy with the MRI‐guided therapy. The study of ATP‐activated nanoclusters develops a novel strategy for tumor deep penetration and on/off imaging of PBTA by size switchable technology, and reveals the potential for MRI‐guided therapy of cancers.     

Semiconducting Nanocomposite with AIEgen‐Triggered Enhanced Photoluminescence and Photodegradation for Dual‐Modality Tumor Imaging and Therapy

Semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) have potential in biological applications. While some SPNs have significant photothermal conversion efficiencies (PCEs) as photothermal and photoacoustic agents, other SPNs offer high fluorescence yields as photoluminescent agents. However, the energy balance distribution in SPNs inhibits their successful applications in photoluminescence/photoacoustic (PL/PA) dual‐modality imaging. Additionally, the ultrastability of SPNs in vivo may cause damage to organisms. This work reports nanocomposite semiconducting polymer and tetraphenylethene nanoparticles (STNPs) constructed by semiconducting polymers (SPs) and tetraphenylethene aggregation‐induced emission luminogens (TPE AIEgens). The SP SPC10 endows good photothermal conversion ability, and the AIEgen TPBM supports enhanced photoluminescence of the STNPs. The results show that the STNPs can act as PL/PA dual‐modality imaging agents. The signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratio in the PL modality reaches 8.7, and the imaging depth in the PA modality is 5.8 mm. The SPC10 in the STNPs can be decomposed under 90 mW cm^?2 white light irradiation in 6 h without any other additional agents. Furthermore, the STNPs are sufficient for the treatment of xenograft 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice based on photothermal therapy. The nanocomposite STNPs achieve optimized dual‐modality PL/PA imaging and the AIEgen‐triggered in situ photodegradation of SPNs. These properties indicate the significant potential of STNPs in clinical diagnosis and noninvasive therapy.     

Self‐Limiting Growth Nanoscale Coordination Polymers for Fluorescence and Magnetic Resonance Dual‐Modality Imaging

The size and shape of coordination polymers (CPs) are often tuned by external factors including reaction temperature, reaction time, precursor ratio, auxiliary ligand, and surfactant. Here, a self‐limiting growth of uniform nanoscale CPs (NCPs) spheres with Gd³⁺ and Ru[4,4′‐(COOH)₂ bipyridyl(bpy)]₃²⁺ ( L_Ru ) as precursors is reported. Sexadentate L_Ru and nine‐coordinating Gd³⁺ play key roles in the formation of the NCPs via a simple and robust self‐limiting procedure. Therefore, the formation of NCP spheres is almost unaffected in the reaction temperature of 100–160 °C for 1–6 h. Moreover, no auxiliary ligand or surfactant is required, whereas high yield and simple procedure are obtained. The red fluorescence of L_Ru and high longitudinal relaxivity of Gd³⁺ remain in the NCPs, which are therefore examined as fluorescence‐magnetic resonance (MR) dual‐modality imaging probes. The structural merits of the NCPs enable high MR contrast efficiency. Red emission avoids the auto‐fluorescence and light scattering from tissues and realizes low‐background imaging. The low toxicity and background, and high imaging efficiency of the NCPs are confirmed using HepG2 cells, zebrafish, and tumor‐bearing mice as models.     

Multifunctional Nanoparticles Composed of A Poly( dl‐lactide‐coglycolide) Core and A Paramagnetic Liposome Shell for Simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Targeted Therapeutics

A multifunctional nanoscale platform that is self‐assembled from a hydrophobic poly( dl ‐lactide‐coglycolide)(PLGA) core and a hydrophilic paramagnetic‐folate‐coated PEGylated lipid shell (PFPL; PEG=polyethylene glycol) is designed for simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and targeted therapeutics. The nanocomplex has a well‐defined core‐shell structure which is studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The paramagnetic diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid‐gadolinium (DTPA‐Gd) chelated to the shell layer exhibits significantly higher spin–lattice relaxivity (r₁) than the clinically used small‐molecular‐weight MRI contrast agent Magnevist^®. The PLGA core serves as a nanocontainer to load and release the hydrophobic drugs. From a drug‐release study, it is found that the modification of the PLGA core with a polymeric liposome shell can be a useful tool for reducing the drug‐release rate. Cellular uptake of folate nanocomplex is found to be higher than that of non‐folate‐nanocomplex due to the folate‐binding effect on the cell membrane. This work indicates that the multifunctional platform with combined characteristics applicable to MRI and drug delivery may have great potential in cancer chemotherapy and diagnosis.     

Rattle‐Type Fe3O4@CuS Developed to Conduct Magnetically Guided Photoinduced Hyperthermia at First and Second NIR Biological Windows

A therapeutic carrier in the second near‐infrared (NIR) window is created that features magnetic target, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis, and photothermal therapy functions through the manipulation of a magnet and NIR laser. A covellite‐based CuS in the form of rattle‐type Fe₃O₄@CuS nanoparticles is developed to conduct photoinduced hyperthermia at 808 and 1064 nm of the first and second NIR windows, respectively. The Fe₃O₄@CuS nanoparticles exhibit broad NIR absorption from 700 to 1300 nm. The in vitro photothermal results show that the laser intensity obtained using 808 nm irradiation required a twofold increase in its magnitude to achieve the same damage in cells as that obtained using 1064 nm irradiation. Because of the favorable magnetic property of Fe₃O₄, magnetically guided photothermal tumor ablation is performed for assessing both laser exposures. According to the results under the fixed laser intensity and irradiation spot, exposure to 1064 nm completely removed tumors showing no signs of relapse. On the other hand, 808 nm irradiation leads to effective inhibition of growth that remained nearly unchanged for up to 30 d, but the tumors are not completely eliminated. In addition, MRI is performed to monitor rattle‐type Fe₃O₄@CuS localization in the tumor following magnetic attraction.     

Dual Phase‐Controlled Synthesis of Uniform Lanthanide‐Doped NaGdF4 Upconversion Nanocrystals Via an OA/Ionic Liquid Two‐Phase System for In Vivo Dual‐Modality Imaging

A novel OA/ionic liquid two‐phase system combining the merits of thermal decomposition method, the IL‐based strategy, and the two‐phase approach is introduced to synthesize high‐quality lanthanide‐doped NaGdF₄ upconversion nanocrystals with different crystal‐phases in OA‐phase and IL‐phase through a one‐step controllable reaction. Oil‐dispersible cubic‐phase NaGdF₄:Yb, Er (Ho, Tm) nanocrystals with ultra‐small size (～5 nm) and monodispersity are obtained in the OA phase of the two‐phase system via an IL‐based reaction. More importantly, water‐soluble hexagonal‐phase NaGdF₄:Yb, Er nanocrystals are obtained in the same system simply by adopting an extremely facile method to complete the dual phase‐transition (crystal‐phase transition and OA‐phase to IL‐phase transition) simultaneously. The synthesized lanthanide‐doped NaGdF₄ upconversion nanocrystals are effective for dual‐mode UCL imaging and CT imaging in vivo.     

Amyloid‐β Oligomer‐Targeted Gadolinium‐Based NIR/MR Dual‐Modal Theranostic Nanoprobe for Alzheimer's Disease

While the deposition of amyloid‐β (Aβ) plaques is one of the main pathological hallmarks of incurable Alzheimer's disease (AD), Aβ oligomers have been identified as a more appealing AD biomarker due to their being more pathogenic and neurotoxic. Therefore, the development of a sensitive and effective technique for oligomeric Aβ detection and imaging is beneficial for the early detection of AD, monitoring disease progression, and assessing the efficacy of potential AD drugs. Herein, the development and investigation of the first Aβ oligomer‐specific Gd³⁺‐based nanoparticles (NPs), NP@SiO₂@F‐SLOH as a multimodal near‐infrared imaging (NIRI)/T₁‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent for real‐time visualization of Aβ contents in an AD mouse model is reported. Remarkably, the NP@SiO₂@F‐SLOH is successfully applied for in vivo and ex vivo NIRI with high sensitivity and selectivity for Aβ oligomers and for MRI with good spatial resolution in different age groups in an AD mouse model. Furthermore, the NP probe exhibits a noticeable inhibitory effect on Aβ fibrillation and neuroprotection against Aβ‐induced toxicity indicating its desirable therapeutic potential for AD. All these results illustrate the tremendous potential of this versatile and sensitive nanomaterial as an effective theranostic MRI nanoprobe for practical use.     

Wet Adsorption of a Luminescent EuIII complex on Carbon Nanotubes Sidewalls

A Eu^III complex, tris‐dibenzoylmethane mono‐1,10‐phenanthroline‐europium(III) [Eu(DBM) ₃ (Phen)] , can be easily adsorbed in situ via hydrophobic interactions to single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) surfaces from a methanol solution. The Eu^III‐containing material has been comprehensively characterized via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV‐vis‐NIR absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM)), Z‐contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging, and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS). The photophysical investigations revealed that the presence of a SWNT framework does not affect the lanthanide‐centered luminescence stemming from the characteristic electronic transitions within the 4f shell of the Eu^III ions. Such straightforward synthetic route leads to the preparation of luminescent SWNTs without significantly affecting the electronic and structural properties of the carbon framework, opening new possibilities of designing new classes of CNTs for biomedical applications.