Polydopamine nanoparticle-incorporated fluorescent hydrogel for fluorescence imaging-guided photothermal therapy of cancers

Abstract

In this study, we report a fuorescent polydopamine nanoparticle-incorporated hydrogel (FPNP-hydrogel) for fuorescence imaging-guided photothermal cancer therapy. The FPNP-hydrogel was prepared by combining fuorescent polydopamine nanoparticles (FPNPs) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using a simple method. The unique optical properties of the FPNPs facilitated the FPNP-hydrogel the excellent biocompatibility, strong fuorescence, and high photostability, showing an availability of fuorescence imaging in BALB/c nude mice. When combined with near-infrared laser irradiation, the FPNP-hydrogel noticeably reduced tumor volumes in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice within 14 days without inducing the infammatory response in major organs. In conclusion, the results suggest that multifunctional hydrogels with excellent fuorescence properties and high photothermal conversion efciency could be useful for designing novel therapeutic methods for cancer treatment.