Theranostic Metal Nanorattles For MR Imaging-guided Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Recent years, various nanomaterials have attracted many researchers’ attention, andhave been developed and applied in biomedical field. Particularly, nanomaterialsshowed outstanding potential applications in developing efficient cancer therapy.Nowadays, integrating diagnosis to treatment (Theranostic) in novel nanomedicineprovides an exciting direction for nanoscale-based cancer therapy. Theranosticnanomedicine possesses multifunctional ability as detective sensor, imaging contrastagents and medicine, which is promising to visualize procedure of therapy for diseases,external responsiveness for stimuli, finally improve the efficiency of treatment andreduce the side effects.In this work, we firstly synthesized a nanorattle structure with superparamagneticiron oxide nanoparticles as cores and porous gold as shell.8nm oleylamine-superparamagnetic iron oxide nanopartilces were synthesized through thermaldecomposition, and then wormpores-like silica layer was fabricated on their surface.Based on the positive surface of silica layer,2nm gold seeds in situ were synthesizedand anchored on its surface simultaneously, and subsequently were reduced into goldnanoshells with pores. Finally, metal nanorattles structure was obtained by etching withalkaline solution. This unique multifunctional nanorattle structure could be utilized forMR imaging, photothermal therapy and potential drug carriers simultaneously. Asshowed in results, this nanostructure with unique morphology could absorbnear-infrared light, convert to heat to kill cell, inhibit tumor growth and indicated theability as T2-weighted MR imaging contrast agent in tumor site. Moreover, the spacebetween magnetic core and gold shell could also introduce the ability as nanocarrier fordrugs which is still under investigation. This metal nanorattle can introduce theranosticways into a novel cancer therapy in the future.