A tumour mRNA-triggered nanoassembly for enhanced fluorescence imaging-guided photodynamic therapy

A multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform, which integrates diagnostic and therapeutic functions in a single nanosystem, holds great promise for guiding disease treatment and improving the corresponding therapy efficacy. We report the development of a novel g-C3N4 nanosheet-based theranostic nanoassembly for both enhanced imaging of cancer-relevant mRNA in living cells and imaging-guided on-demand photodynamic therapy (PDT) for tumors. The nanoassembly was constructed by using highly fluorescent and water-dispersible g-C3N4 nanosheets which act as nanocarriers, enabling efficient and self-tracking transfection of the DNA hairpin probes. The presence of intracellular mRNA will initiate the DNA hairpin probes, ultimately resulting in an amplified fluorescence signal via hybridization and displacement with mRNA. Moreover, enhanced fluorescence imaging-guided precise PDT for tumors in living cells was also demonstrated, allowing the selective ablation of tumors without any obvious side effects. Therefore, the developed theranostic approach can provide a promising platform for low-abundance biomarker discovery and early treatment of related diseases.