Feng Chen, Hao Hong, Shreya Goel, Stephen A. Graves, Hakan Orbay, Emily B. Ehlerding, Sixiang Shi, Charles P. Theuer, Robert J. Nickles, Weibo Cai

Actively targeted theranostic nanomedicine may be the key for future personalized cancer management. Although numerous types of theranostic nanoparticles have been developed in the last decade for cancer treatment, challenges still exist in the engineering of biocompatible theranostic nanoparticles with highly specific in vivo tumor targeting capabilities. Here, we report the design, synthesis, surface engineering, and in vivo active vasculature targeting of a new category of theranostic nanoparticle for future cancer management. Water-soluble photothermally sensitive copper sulfide nanoparticles were encapsulated in biocompatible mesoporous silica shells, followed by multi-step surface engineering to form the final theranostic nanoparticle. Systematic in vitro targeting, an in vivo long-term toxicity study, photothermal ablation evaluation, in vivo vasculature targeted imaging, and biodistribution and histology studies were performed to fully explore the potential of these as-developed new theranostic nanoparticles.