Hollow Copper Sulfide Nanosphere–Doxorubicin/Graphene Oxide Core–Shell Nanocomposite for Photothermo-chemotherapy

A novel core-shell nanostructure, hollow copper sulfide nanosphere-doxorubicin (DOX)/graphene oxide (GO) (CuS-DOX/GO), is constructed for the purpose of controlled drug delivery and improved photothermo-chemo therapeutic effect. The CuS-DOX/GO nanocomposite is configured by employing dual photothermal agents, where the core, hollow CuS nanoparticle, acts as delivery-carrier for doxorubicin, and the shell, PEGylated GO nanosheet, prohibits the leakage of drug. DOX can be efficiently loaded onto the hollow CuS nanoparticles, and its subsequent release from CuS-DOX/GO nanocomposite is triggered in a pH- and near-infrared light-dependent manner. Moreover, the integration of the two photothermal agents significantly improves the photothermal performance of this system. Ultimately, the combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy based on this system results in a much higher HeLa cell killing efficacy with respect to that for single chemotherapy mode, as demonstrated by in vitro cytotoxicity tests.