Multifunctional phototherapy system based on graphene oxide for photothermal/photodynamic synergetic therapy of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignant tumor of male genitourinary system, ranking second among all male malignant tumors and showing a trend toward younger age. However, for metastatic prostate cancer, commonly used androgen deprivation therapy combined with docetaxel chemotherapy or neoendocrine therapy is prone to complications (incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and rectal damage), resulting in reduced quality of life or serious side effects for patients. Therefore, the designed GO-DAA-Ce6 nanoparticles were constructed to couple graphene oxide and Ce6 via diacylhydrazine adipate (DAA) as a bridge. The combination therapy of PTT and PDT is made possible by the outstanding photothermal conversion ability of GO and the high singlet oxygen generation of Ce6. GO-DAA-Ce6 demonstrated low toxicity and great biocompatibility in cytotoxicity and hemolysis assays. According to the outcomes of in vitro anti-tumor tests, GO-DAA-Ce6 greatly outperformed the photothermal and photodynamic efficacy of GO alone and Ce6 alone in terms of tumor suppression rates. The findings of the anticancer mechanism study point to the possibility that GO-DAA-Ce6 may cause cancer cells to undergo apoptosis and necrosis by initially damaging suborganelles such mitochondria. The straightforward design of the photothermal and photodynamic collaboration platform kills prostate cancer effectively and offers a general method for the treatment of various conditions including inflammation and skin infections.