Ligand (biochemistry)

Physics

Biotechnology

Receptor

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Photothermal therapy

In vivo

Photodynamic therapy

Biology

Optics

Nanoparticle

Chemistry

Materials science

Biocompatibility

Molecule

Fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy

Supramolecular chemistry

Biochemistry

Photochemistry

Fluorescence

Journal of the American Chemical Society

The construction of supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) featuring prominent cancer theranostic functions is an appealing yet significantly challenging task. In this study, we rationally designed and facilely constructed a prism-like metallacage C-DTTP with efficient fluorescence emission in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region through the assembly of an aggregation-induced emission-active four-arm ligand with 90° Pt acceptors Pt(PEt3)2(OTf)2. C-DTTP held the longest maximum emission wavelength (1005 nm) compared with those previously reported SCCs up to now and exhibited both a high photothermal conversion efficiency (39.3%) and significantly superior reactive oxygen species generation behavior to the precursor ligand. In vitro and in vivo assessments demonstrated that the metallacage-loaded nanoparticles with excellent biocompatibility and stability were capable of simultaneously affording precise tumor diagnosis and complete tumor elimination by means of NIR-II fluorescence/photothermal dual imaging-guided photodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy.

Self-Assembled Metallacage with Second Near-Infrared Aggregation-Induced Emission for Enhanced Multimodal Theranostics