Kill three birds with one stone: A gold nanostar-based multifunctional nanoplatform with targeting capabilities for dual chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

So far, the single treatment has failed to achieve the desired outcomes in cancer treatment, significantly contributing to the surge in interest in multimodal synergistic therapies for cancer. In this study, we developed a multifunctional biomimetic nanoplatform (GNS@PDA-Pt-DOX-9R-P201, GPPtD9R NPs), which consists of photothermal reagents gold nanostar (GNS), biomimetic material polydopamine coating (PDA), targeting peptide (9R-P201) and two kinds of chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) and cis-platinum (CDDP). The particle size of the GPPtD9R NPs was 255 ± 10.56 nm, the zeta potential was 3.75 ± 0.13 mV, the photothermal conversion efficiency was 21.33%, and the loading rates of DOX and CDDP were 5.98%% and 7.67%, respectively. Under 808 nm light irradiation, the GPPtD9R NPs elevated the temperature beyond the safe threshold for cells. The modification with 9R-P201 enabled targeted delivery, and upon laser irradiation, the GPPtD9R NPs released DOX and CDDP in the tumor, achieving the synergistic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through photothermal therapy (PTT) and dual chemotherapy, which not only enhances the anti-tumor effect but also minimizes systemic toxicity. The platform achieved a remarkable 90.3% tumor suppression rate for HCC, and no abnormalities in biochemical blood indicators or damage to normal tissues were found at the end of the treatment. Overall, GPPtD9R NPs exhibit potent anti-HCC efficacy and exceptional biocompatibility, presenting a novel strategy for tumor therapy.