Trojan horses in tumor: engineered pyroelectric and photodynamic nanocomposites for NIR-induced cell apoptosis and tumor growth inhibition

It is desirable but always challenging to develop a cutting-edge tumor treatment strategy with high therapeutic efficacy, lesion-targeted precision and mild accessibility. Compared to traditional treatment modalities, photodynamic therapy has been widely studied since the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at cancerous lesions unprecedentedly offers a convenient approach for localized tumor eliminations. Nevertheless, the consumption of oxygen for ROS production in a hypoxic tumor micro-environment has dramatically limited its feasibility and efficacy. Herein, the engineered nanocomposites of BTO@PDA-ICG-HA with photodynamic and pyroelectric performances have been fabricated and applied to the photodynamic-pyroelectric dynamic treatments. The continuing ROS production derived from intracellular oxygen (O₂) and water (H₂O) by laser irradiation contributed to the superb tumor cell apoptosis and significant tumor growth inhibition. Thus, this study has validated a new concept by depositing the engineered nanocomposites at the tumor just like Trojan horses, facilitating ROS release as killers and exerting the NIR-induced cell apoptosis and tumor growth inhibition with high therapeutic efficiency and expectable translational perspectives.