Multifunctional Bi NSs@BSA Nanoplatform Guided by CT Imaging for Effective Photothermal Therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted great attention as an anticancer treatment strategy. With the rapid development of nanomedicine, multifunctional inorganic nanophotothermal agents provide a new way to improve the effect of PTT. Herein, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-modified Bi nanosheets (Bi NSs) with good biocompatibility were synthesized by a facile redox and ball milling method and applied as a photothermal agent for the enhancement of PTT. Owing to the strong near-infrared absorption, Bi NSs exhibit high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 36.17%) under 808 nm laser irradiation and can serve as a nanotherapeutic agent for cancer therapy. In addition, in vitro cell safety analysis also suggests that the toxicity of BSA-modified Bi NSs is negligible. Upon 808 nm irradiation, the uptake ability of tumor cells to Bi NSs@BSA has been improved. Moreover, Bi NSs@BSA also can be used as a good contrast agent for CT imaging and then to observe the distribution of materials in the tumor site. Finally, Bi NSs@BSA-mediated PTT results show a high ablation rate of A549 tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. All results reveal that Bi NSs@BSA is a promising nanotherapeutic platform for PTT.