Construction of a pH- and near-infrared irradiation-responsive nanoplatform for chemo-photothermal therapy.

Abstract Au nanoclusters, decorated with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), were obtained through photocatalytic reduction of AuCl43– by UV irradiation, and then cytarabine (Cyt) was loaded to the Au/GQDs via charge-dipole interactions. Mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was anchored to the Cyt-loaded Au/GQDs through the formation of Au–S bond, which was further encapsulated by polyethyleneimine (PEI) via charge-dipole interactions. The delivery of Cyt from the quaternary complex (Au/GQDs/MPA/PEI) is pH-sensitive and can be modulated by near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The results of cell viability test indicate that the developed nanoplatform can be used for chemo-photothermal combination therapy of cancer cells, and the efficacy of chemo-photothermal combination therapy is significantly higher than that of the single mode of photothermal therapy (PTT) or chemotherapy.