An acid microenvironment-driven theranostics platform for lung cancer 19F MR/PA/FL multimodal imaging-guided photothermal therapy

Enhancing the tumor-to-background ratio in multimodal imaging to achieve precise tumor localization remains a pivotal objective for effective and specific photothermal therapy (PTT). However, developing tumor microenvironment-responsive multimodal probes for imaging-guided tumor therapy remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we engineered IR820-loaded fluorinated zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8) coated gold nanorod (GFZI) for FL/PA/19F MR trimodal-guided PTT in lung cancer. Upon reaching the tumor site, these nanoparticles trigger an enhancement in fluorescence imaging and 19F magnetic resonance imaging, facilitated by the controlled release of IR820 and 4-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-imidazole. Furthermore, GFZI undergoes degradation in the acidic tumor microenvironment, exposing the gold nanorods, thereby amplifying the photoacoustic signal and photothermal therapy. The amalgamation of acidic-activated FL/PA/19F MR trimodal imaging techniques ensures precise localization of lung cancer, realizing the outstanding PTT effect of lung cancer. This versatile platform holds great promise for achieving precision in cancer theranostics, offering new avenues in cancer diagnosis and treatment.