Construction and evaluation of a long-circulating thermosensitive liposomal black phosphorus quantum dot delivery...

Bone malignant tumors are diseases that endanger human lives and compromise patients' quality of life. Tumors are conventionally treated via chemotherapy; however, nonspecific damage to healthy cells and inefficient targeting of tumor sites often occur, necessitating the development of an innovative treatment paradigm. In this study, a long-circulating thermosensitive liposome encapsulating DOX-loaded BPQDs was constructed to release drugs via pH/NIR response for photothermal-chemotherapy synergistic treatment of osteosarcoma. Initially, BPQDs were synthesized through liquid-phase exfoliation coupled with a solvothermal reaction. Subsequently, DOX was immobilized onto the BPQD surface via electrostatic interactions to ensure efficient chemotherapeutic drug loading. Ultimately, the high-performance Lip-BPQDs-DOX drug delivery system was fabricated by encapsulating BPQDs-DOX within long-circulating thermosensitive liposomes using a thin-film dispersion-extrusion method. The drug delivery system demonstrates a transition in size from large to small, superior photothermal conversion efficiency, pH/NIR-responsive drug release, favorable ex vivo and in vivo biocompatibility, and liposome-mediated, photothermal-chemotherapeutic synergistic anti-tumor effects. These characteristics offer valuable insights for designing multifunctional nanotherapeutic systems for related tumors like osteosarcoma.