Aptamer modified Ti3C2 nanosheets application in smart targeted photothermal therapy for cancer

Background Ti 3 C 2 is a type of transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) with high light-to-heat conversion efficiency property, which has been widely used in cancer treatment recently. In fact, active targeting delivery of MXenes nanomaterials with targeting molecule could enhance the therapeutic efficacy. However, targeted therapy of MXenes has not been further studied in the past. Aptamers (Apt) with excellent affinity and high specificity properties have been widely used as targeting tools. Predictably, the incorporation of Apt into Ti 3 C 2 nanomaterials will offer an unprecedented opportunity in the research fields of cancer targeted therapy. Results Transmembrane glycoprotein mucin 1 (MUC1) is overexpressed on the surface of MCF-7 cells, and MUC1 Apt (Apt-M) could target MCF-7 cells with high affinity and specificity. Here, a smart targeting nanotherapeutic system Ti 3 C 2 /Apt-M was fabricated, which could specifically recognize and enter in MCF-7 cells. Benefitting from the desirable targeted performance of Apt-M, MCF-7 cells completed the ingestion process of Ti 3 C 2 /Apt-Mf nanosheets within 4 h, and Apt-M facilitated the entry of the Ti 3 C 2 /Apt-Mf nanosheets into MCF-7 cells. Besides, Ti 3 C 2 /Apt-M nanosheets exhibited the potential as an outstanding photothermal agent (PTA) because of the photothermal performance inherited from wrapped Ti 3 C 2 nanosheets. As demonstrated, upon 808 nm laser irradiation, the Ti 3 C 2 /Apt-M nanotherapeutic system displayed a satisfactory antitumor effect by targeted photothermal therapy both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion This study provides a new idea for the development of MXenes nanotherapeutic system with high active targeting performance. Graphical Abstract