title: Photosensitizer-assembled PEGylated graphene-copper sulfide nanohybrids as a synergistic near-infrared phototherapeutic agent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stimulative nanostructures play a crucial role in developing the smart nanomedicine for high therapeutic efficacy with minimum adverse effects. Herein, a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanohybrids p-nanographene oxide (GO)-copper sulfide (CuS)/indocyanine green (ICG) comprised of GO, CuS nanoparticles and photosensitizer ICG was fabricated to couple the photothermal property of CuS and photodynamic effect of ICG in one system in order to achieve the synergistic phototherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  pGO-CuS/ICG was constructed by self-assembling ICG on pGO-CuS nanostructure. Its physicochemical, photothermal and photodynamic properties were studied by spectroscopic methods. The in vitro cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, the single/combined photothermal therapeutic (PTT) and photodynamic therapeutic (PDT) effects were investigated with biological techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  pGO-CuS/ICG exhibited high efficacy of photothermal conversation and singlet oxygen generation under NIR laser excitation. It entered into the target cancer cells probably via passive transmembrane pathway and exerted obvious PTT and PDT effect against the tumor cells upon irradiation with the respective 940 and 808 nm lasers. In particular, the tremendous synergistic efficacy of PDT and PTT had been demonstrated by tuning the NIR laser combined irradiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study promises the future applications of pGO-CuS/ICG as a NIR light activable theranostic nanodrug for deep-seated cancer noninvasive phototherapy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.|b Center for Information in BioMedicine , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Anni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lianhui
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.|b Center for Information in BioMedicine , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongjuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biophysics, School of Life Science and Technology , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.|b Center for Information in BioMedicine , University of Electronic Science and Technology of China , Chengdu 610054 , P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yiyao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006108:Graphite / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006108:Graphite; D003300:Copper
keywords: combination treatment; graphene/CuS nanohybrids; near-infrared light-responsive photodrug; photodynamic therapy; photothermal effect