Citation: Zhenjian Li, Xue Wu, Lingyun Li, Bingzhe Wang, Guichuan Xing, Yupeng Liu, Songnan Qu. Red and near-infrared emissive nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbonized nanoparticles for red laser-induced synergistic photothermal and photodynamic tumor therapy[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(5): 111501. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111501 shu

Red and near-infrared emissive nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbonized nanoparticles for red laser-induced synergistic photothermal and photodynamic tumor therapy

Zhenjian Li ^a ,
Xue Wu ^a ,
Lingyun Li ^a ,
Bingzhe Wang ^{a, b} ,
Guichuan Xing ^a ,
Yupeng Liu ^{a, *,} ,
Songnan Qu ^{a, c, *,}

a.
Joint Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME), University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
b.
College of Chemistry and Materials Science, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Coordination Chemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
c.
Zhuhai UM Science and Technology Research Institute, University of Macau, Zhuhai 519031 China

yupengliu@um.edu.mo

songnanqu@um.edu.mo

Received Date: 22 April 2025
Revised Date: 12 June 2025
Accepted Date: 23 June 2025
Available Online: 24 June 2025

Figures(6)

Metal-free nanoparticles capable of executing synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) under the action of a single-wavelength laser have garnered considerable attention. Here, a novel type of nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbon nanoparticles (TG-CNPs) was synthesized from taurine and genipin using a solvothermal method in dimethylformamide. The TG-CNPs, with an average size of approximately 25 nm, demonstrated red and near-infrared absorption/emission in aqueous solution. TG-CNPs exhibited negligible dark cytotoxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and remarkable lysosomal localization ability. Upon 655-nm laser irradiation, TG-CNPs exhibited strong photothermal performance with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 30% along with the efficient generation of superoxide radicals (^•O₂⁻). Leveraging the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, TG-CNPs facilitated passive targeting and accumulation at the tumor site. Notably, following a single round of 655-nm laser treatment, the tumors in the mice were completely eradicated, with no evidence of recurrence observed over the subsequent five months. This study introduces a promising metal-free, heteroatom-doped carbon nanoparticle platform for effective synergistic PTT/PDT in tumor treatment.
- Carbonized nanoparticle,
- Photothermal therapy,
- Photodynamic therapy,
- Superoxide radicals,
- Tumor therapy
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