An Easy-to-Fabricate Clearable CuS-Superstructure-Based Multifunctional Theranostic Platform for Efficient Imaging Guided Chemo-Photothermal Therapy

Despite drug delivery systems (DDSs) have been receiving ever-increasing attention, development of a simple, effective, sensitive and clearable drug delivery and multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform for cancer therapy is still highly desirable and remains a challenge. Here, using a one-step solvothermal method, hollow acanthosphere-like CuS superstructures assembled from ~10 nm nanoparticles (NPs) have been obtained successfully, and used as an efficient drug delivery and theranostic platform for photoacoustic (PA) and infrared (IR) thermal imaging guided cancer combination therapy. Special hollow characteristic of CuS superstructures with mesoporous shells and large cavities grants them high drug loading capacity, and shows near-infrared (NIR)/pH stimuli-sensitive drug release and pronounced synergetic effects of chemo-photothermal therapy both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, our hollow loose CuS superstructures, with easily broken properties, are biodegradable and able to be cleared from the body when completing their therapy task. This CuS-superstructure-based clearable drug delivery and “all-in-one” cancer theranostic platform might provide some possibilities for improving therapeutic efficacy and minimizing adverse effects.