Targeting the peculiarities of tumor tissue microenvironment different from normal tissue, such as lower pH and overexpression of hydrogen peroxide is the key to effective treatment. In this study, acid-responsive Z-scheme heterojunctions polyglycolated MoS2/CoFe2O4 (MoS2 = molybdenum disulfide, CoFe2O4 = cobalt ferrite) was synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal method, designated as MSCO-PEG, guided by dual modes of photoacoustic imagine (PAI) and nuclear magnetic imaging (MRI). MSCO-PEG (PEG = polyethylene glycol) responded to the acidic environment of tumor tissues and overexpression of hydrogen peroxide to turn on multimodal synergistic treatment of tumor cells under near-infrared-II (NIR-II) illumination. In particular, MSCO-PEG amplified the oxidizing ability of edge valence band holes (h+) and the reducing ability of conduction band electrons (e-) under NIR-II illumination through a "step-like" charge transfer mechanism, promoting the conversion of H2O to oxygen (O2) and the generation of superoxide radicals (O2-). In addition, the outstanding light absorption and photothermal conversion ability of MSCO made it have excellent photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) effects. Meanwhile, the abundant multivalent metals endowed MSCO-PEG with the ability to generate chemodynamic therapy (CDT). MSCO-PEG's ability to clear glutathione (GSH) promotes tumor oxidative stress, increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and enhances the synergistic therapeutic effect. This work provides a promising approach to advancing the clinical application of nanomaterials for anticancer therapy targeting the tumor microenvironment.
Keywords: Dual-mode imagine; Photocatalysis; Synergistic therapy; Tumor treatment; Z-scheme heterojunction.
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