Highly Efficient Photosensitizers with Far‐Red/Near‐Infrared Aggregation‐Induced Emission for In Vitro and In Vivo Cancer Theranostics |
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| Authors: | Dong Wang Michelle M. S. Lee Guogang Shan Ryan T. K. Kwok Jacky W. Y. Lam Huifang Su Yuchen Cai Ben Zhong Tang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Center for AIE Research, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China;2. Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Functional Materials, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Division of Biomedical Engineering, and Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China;3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China;4. State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China |
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| Abstract: | Fluorescence‐imaging‐guided photodynamic therapy has emerged as a promising protocol for cancer theranostics. However, facile preparation of such a theranostic material for simultaneously achieving bright emission with long wavelength, high‐performance reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and good targeting‐specificity of cancer cells, is highly desirable but remains challenging. In this study, a novel type of far‐red/near‐infrared‐emissive fluorescent molecules with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics is synthesized through a few steps reaction. These AIE luminogens (AIEgens) possess simple structures, excellent photostabilities, large Stokes shifts, bright emission, and good biocompatibilities. Meanwhile, their ROS generation is extremely efficient with up to 90.7% of ROS quantum yield, which is far superior to that of some popularly used photosensitizers. Importantly, these AIEgens are able to selectively target and ablate cancer cells over normal cells without the aid of any extra targeting ligands. Rather than using laser light, one of the presented AIEgens (MeTTPy) shows a remarkable tumor‐targeting photodynamic therapeutic effect by using an ultralow‐power lamp light (18 mW cm?2). This study thus not only extends the applications scope of AIEgens, but also offers useful insights into designing a new generation of cancer theranostics. |
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| Keywords: | aggregation‐induced emission FR/NIR emission molecular design photodynamic therapy theranostic materials |
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