Platelet‐Facilitated Photothermal Therapy of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 57; no. 4; pp. 986 - 991
• Main Authors: Rao, Lang, Bu, Lin‐Lin, Ma, Liang, Wang, Wenbiao, Liu, Huiqin, Wan, Da, Liu, Jian‐Feng, Li, Andrew, Guo, Shi‐Shang, Zhang, Lu, Zhang, Wen‐Feng, Zhao, Xing‐Zhong, Sun, Zhi‐Jun, Liu, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 22.01.2018
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Animals; Blood circulation; Blood Platelets - chemistry; Blood Platelets - cytology; Cancer; cancer therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Proliferation - radiation effects; drug delivery; Electroporation; Gold; Gold - chemistry; Head & neck cancer; Humans; Irradiation; Lasers; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mice, Knockout; Microscopy, Confocal; nanomedicine; Nanorods; Nanotubes - chemistry; Nanotubes - toxicity; Phototherapy; photothermal therapy; Platelets; PTEN Phosphohydrolase - deficiency; PTEN Phosphohydrolase - genetics; RAW 264.7 Cells; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I - deficiency; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I - genetics; Squamous cell carcinoma; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - metabolism; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - therapy; Therapy; cancer therapy; nanomedicine; drug delivery; platelets; photothermal therapy
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201709457

Here, we present a platelet‐facilitated photothermal tumor therapy (PLT‐PTT) strategy, in which PLTs act as carriers for targeted delivery of photothermal agents to tumor tissues and enhance the PTT effect. Gold nanorods (AuNRs) were first loaded into PLTs by electroporation and the resulting AuNR‐loaded PLTs (PLT‐AuNRs) inherited long blood circulation and cancer targeting characteristics from PLTs and good photothermal property from AuNRs. Using a gene‐knockout mouse model, we demonstrate that the administration of PLT‐AuNRs and localizing laser irradiation could effectively inhibit the growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In addition, we found that the PTT treatment augmented PLT‐AuNRs targeting to the tumor sites and in turn, improved the PTT effects in a feedback manner, demonstrating the unique self‐reinforcing characteristic of PLT‐PTT in cancer therapy. Platelets (PLTs) are circulating sentinels that can accumulate in injured tissues to trigger the repair processes. Photothermal therapy (PTT) uses heat generated from light to ablate tumor tissues. Inspired by both observations, gold nanorods were loaded into PLTs for enhanced PTT of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.