Iron Oxide Mediated Photothermal Therapy in the Second Biological Window: A Comparative Study between Magnetite/Maghemite Nanospheres and Nanoflowers.

The photothermal use of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) is becoming more and more popular and documented. Herein, we compared the photothermal (PT) therapy potential versus magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) modality of magnetic nanospheres, largely used in the biomedical field and magnetic multicore nanoflowers known among the best nanoheaters. The NPs were imaged using transmission electron microscopy and their optical properties characterized by UV-Vis-NIR-I-II before oxidation (magnetite) and after oxidation to maghemite.

Iron Oxide Nanoflowers @ CuS Hybrids for Cancer Tri-Therapy: Interplay of Photothermal Therapy, Magnetic Hyperthermia and Photodynamic Therapy.

Innovative synthesis routes revolutionized nanomaterial combination and design possibilities resulting in a new generation of fine-tuned nanoparticles featuring exquisite shape and constitution control. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to the development of multi-functional nanoparticle agents merging a plurality of therapeutic functions to tackle tumors simultaneously by synergic mechanisms. Herein, we report the design of an optimized nanohybrid for cancer tri-therapy featuring a maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoflower-like multicore nanoparticle conceived for efficient magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) and a spiky copper sulfide shell (IONF@CuS) with a high near-infrared (NIR) absorption coefficient suitable for photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Recent insights in magnetic hyperthermia: From the "hot-spot" effect for local delivery to combined magneto-photo-thermia using magneto-plasmonic hybrids.

Magnetic hyperthermia which exploits the heat generated by magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) when exposed to an alternative magnetic field (AMF) is now in clinical trials for the treatment of cancers. However, this thermal therapy requires a high amount of MNPs in the tumor to be efficient. On the contrary the hot spot local effect refers to the use of specific temperature profile at the vicinity of nanoparticles for heating with minor to no long-range effect.

Intracellular Biodegradation of Ag Nanoparticles, Storage in Ferritin, and Protection by a Au Shell for Enhanced Photothermal Therapy.

Despite their highly efficient plasmonic properties, gold nanoparticles are currently preferred to silver nanoparticles for biomedical applications such as photothermal therapy due to their high chemical stability in the biological environment. To confer protection while preserving their plasmonic properties, we allied the advantages of both materials and produced hybrid nanoparticles made of an anisotropic silver nanoplate core coated with a frame of gold. The efficiency of these hybrid nanoparticles (Ag@AuNPs) in photothermia was compared to monometallic silver nanoplates (AgNPs) or gold nanostars (AuNPs).