Targeted theranostic prodrugs based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen for real-time dual-drug...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Cancer theranostics aim to combine diagnosis and therapy for improved treatment outcomes.
• Prodrug strategies are employed to enhance drug efficacy and reduce systemic toxicity.
• Visualizing drug distribution and activation is crucial for monitoring therapeutic response.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a targeted theranostic delivery system for cancer treatment.
• To incorporate dual prodrugs with functionalities for drug tracking and activation monitoring.
• To achieve visualization of cancer cell ablation and synergistic therapeutic effects.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of a targeted theranostic nanocarrier system.
• Encapsulation of two distinct prodrugs within the nanocarrier.
• In vitro and in vivo evaluation of drug release, tracking, and activation.
• Assessment of synergistic anticancer effects and cancer cell ablation visualization.

Main Results:

• Successful development of a targeted theranostic system capable of co-delivering two prodrugs.
• Demonstrated in vivo tracking and real-time monitoring of prodrug activation.
• Significant synergistic anticancer effects leading to effective cancer cell ablation.
• High-resolution visualization of the therapeutic process and treatment efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The developed targeted theranostic system offers a promising approach for cancer therapy.
• The integrated drug tracking and activation monitoring functions enable precise treatment evaluation.
• Synergistic prodrug action combined with theranostic capabilities enhances cancer cell ablation efficacy.