Surface Modified Ti₃C₂ MXene Nanosheets for Tumor Targeting Photothermal/Photodynamic/Chemo Synergistic Therapy

TLDR

Ti3C2 MXene is a new two‑dimensional material with a strong photothermal effect and other novel properties. The study aims to develop Ti3C2 for multimodal tumor therapy. Ultrathin Ti3C2 nanosheets (~100 nm) were synthesized using an Al³⁺ additive to prevent Al loss, then functionalized layer‑by‑layer with doxorubicin and hyaluronic acid to create a Ti3C2‑DOX nanoplatform for photothermal, photodynamic, and chemotherapeutic delivery. The Ti3C2‑DOX nanoplatform shows a high mass extinction coefficient (28.6 Lg⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 808 nm), a photothermal conversion efficiency of ~58.3 %, efficient singlet‑oxygen generation under 808 nm irradiation, and in vitro/in vivo studies demonstrate biocompatibility, tumor‑specific accumulation, stimuli‑responsive drug release, and potent photothermal/photodynamic/chemotherapeutic tumor ablation.

Abstract

Ti3C2 MXene is a new two-dimensional material exhibiting a variety of novel properties including good photothermal effect, and the capability of Ti3C2 for multimodal tumor therapy is in urgent need of development. Herein, ultrathin Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets (∼100 nm) have been synthesized by supplying additive Al3+ to avoid Al loss and employed as a photothermal/photodynamic agent for cancer therapy. The as-obtained nanosheets exhibit outstanding mass extinction coefficient (28.6 Lg–1 cm–1 at 808 nm), superior photothermal conversion efficiency (∼58.3%), and effective singlet oxygen generation (1O2) upon 808 nm laser irradiation. Based on these Ti3C2 nanosheets, a multifunctional nanoplatform (Ti3C2-DOX) is established via layer-by-layer surface modification with doxorubicin (DOX) and hyaluronic acid (HA). In vitro and in vivo experiments disclose that Ti3C2-DOX shows enhanced biocompatibility, tumor specific accumulation, and stimuli-responsive drug release behavior and achieve effective cancer cell killing and tumor tissue destruction through photothermal/photodynamic/chemo synergistic therapy.