Imaging-guided cancer theranostic is a promising strategy for cancer diagnostic and therapeutic. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), as an approved treatment modality, is limited by the poor solubility and dispersion of photosensitizers (PS) in biological fluids. Herein, it is demonstrated
that superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-based nanoparticles (SCFs), prepared by conjugated with Chlorin e6 (Ce6) and modified with folic acid (FA) on the surface, can be used as versatile drug delivery vehicles for effective PDT. The nanoparticles are great carriers for photosensitizer Ce6
with an extremely high loading efficiency. In vitro fluorescence imaging and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results indicated that SCFs selectively accumulated in tumor cells. Under near-infrared laser irradiation, SCFs were confirmed to be capable of inducing low cell
viability of RM-1 cells In vitro and displaying efficient tumor ablation with negligible side effects in tumor-bearing mice models.