Calcium carbonate-doxorubicin@silica-indocyanine green nanospheres with photo-triggered drug delivery enhance cell killing in drug-resistant breast cancer cells

Calcium carbonate-doxorubicin@silica-indocyanine green nanospheres with high uniformity and monodispersity were designed and synthesized, in order to provide a photo-triggered strategy for drug-resistant cancer therapy. Under near-infrared laser irradiation, the nanospheres transformed laser power into local heat and reactive oxygen species via the connected indocyanine green molecule, thus exhibiting photothermal and photodynamic effects. Moreover, the photo-triggered drug release based on calcium-assisted silica degradation was observed, endowing the nanospheres with chemotherapeutic properties. Finally, combined therapeutic effects against drug-resistant human breast cancer cells were successfully obtained. These photo-triggered materials based on calcium carbonate could provide a promising platform for enhanced multimodal cancer therapies.