TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ Nanocomposites Utilize Their Photothermal Activity for Targeted Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

The search for effective and low-risk treatment methods for colorectal cancer (CRC) is a pressing concern, given the inherent risks and adverse reactions associated with traditional therapies. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, offering advantages such as non-radiation, non-invasiveness, and targeted treatment. Consequently, the development of nanoparticles with high stability, biocompatibility, and photothermal effects has become a significant research focus within the field of PTT.

In this study, TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized, and their photothermal conversion efficiency in the near-infrared region II (NIR-II) was determined. Then studied the in vivo and in vitro photothermal activity and anti-tumor effect of TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ in human colorectal cancer cell lines and nude mice subcutaneous tumor model.

The results showed that TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites have strong absorption ability in the NIR-II, and have high photothermal conversion efficiency under 1064 nm (0.5 W/cm², 6 min) laser stimulation. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites significantly inhibited the invasion, migration, and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells, and induced cell apoptosis; in vivo, experiments showed that TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites-mediated PTT had good biocompatibility and efficient targeted inhibition of tumor growth.

In conclusion, TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites can be used as NIR-II absorption materials in PTT to suppress the invasion, migration, and proliferation of colorectal cancer cells, induce colorectal cancer cell apoptosis, and thus inhibit the development of CRC. Therefore, TiO₂-Ti₃C₂ nanocomposites can be used as potential anti-tumor drugs for photothermal ablation of colorectal cancer cells.