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. 2021 Nov 18;13(11):1951. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111951

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Mechanism of photodynamic therapy combined with photothermal therapy, hyperthermia and magnetic hyperthermia in synergistic enhancement of the antitumor effect based on codelivery systems. (A) When light-activated photothermal agents, (B) or alternating magnetic fields are applied to magnetic nanoparticles, heat is generated at the tumor site, increasing blood flow and synergistically enhancing PDTSome photothermal agents of inorganic materials themselves can be used as nanocarriers, which makes the combination of PTT and PDT convenient. Gold nanorods have been used as carriers with photothermal conversion capability, and the joint delivery of DOX and PS ICG can simultaneously achieve chemo-PTT-PDT triple therapy [69]. Gold nanocages [147] show strong absorption in the NIR region, and their empty interior and porous walls are suitable for encapsulating PSs. Bo Tian et al. [148] coupled Ce6 on PEG-functionalized GO (GO-PEG-CE6). The photothermal effect of GO promoted the transfer of Ce6, and its destruction effect on cancer cells was significantly better than that of free Ce6. The photothermal agent plasma copper sulfide (Cu2-XS) has also been reported to have photodynamic properties [149], allowing the combination of PTT and PDT to be achieved simultaneously, and has been verified in in vitro cultured melanoma cells and mouse melanoma models. The poor photostability and potential long-term toxicity of inorganic nanomaterials limit their clinical application, so more materials with good biocompatibility and high stability have been developed as alternatives. The conductive polymer polypyrrole is a material with relatively high biocompatible photostability and photothermal conversion efficiency, using polyacrylamide (PAH), polyacrylic acid (PAA) and AlPCS4. Further modification of polypyrrole resulted in a more stable AlPCS4@PPyCONH-PAH-PAA nanoneedle complex in a physiological environment. The results showed an enhanced synergistic effect, with tumor ablation in mice 14 days after treatment and no recurrence within 30 days [150].