Open Access
ARTICLE
Nanoliposome-Encapsulated Semiconductor Particles and Arsenic Trioxide Synergistically Enhance Chemo-Photothermal Therapy for Lung Cancer
Chang He#, An Wang#, Youbo Wang#, Qinyun Ma*, Xiaofeng Chen*
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
* Corresponding Author: Qinyun Ma. Email: 
; Xiaofeng Chen. Email: 
# These authors contributed equally to this work
Oncology Research https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2026.074880
Received 20 October 2025; Accepted 10 February 2026; Published online 26 February 2026
Abstract
Objectives: Combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) represents a promising approach for enhancing cancer treatment efficacy. This study aimed to develop arsenic trioxide (ATO) and poly(cyclopentadithiophene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (PCPDTBT)-loaded nanoparticles (ATO/PCPDTBT@NPs) to evaluate their synergistic efficacy in inhibiting lung cancer growth and metastasis. Methods: Nanovesicles were synthesized via a streamlined protocol and subjected to 808 nm NIR irradiation to assess their photothermal conversion capabilities. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in vitro using A549 lung carcinoma cells to assess apoptosis, invasion, and migration, and in vivo to monitor tumor volume reduction. Results: The nanoparticles exhibited excellent hemocompatibility and low cytotoxicity while demonstrating robust photothermal conversion, inducing a rapid 20.8°C temperature rise within five minutes. In vitro, ATO enhanced apoptotic pathways and suppressed metastasis, while the combination therapy significantly reduced cell viability (OD: 0.23 vs. 0.62 in controls) and migration (13.6% vs. 74.9%), outperforming monotherapies. In vivo, the chemo-photothermal treatment reduced tumor volumes by 2.5- and 3-fold compared to ATO or PTT alone, confirming superior antitumor effects. Conclusions: These findings highlight the dual-action ATO/PCPDTBT@NPs nanoplatform as a potential multifaceted strategy for effective tumor suppression and metastasis inhibition.
Keywords
Arsenic trioxide (ATO); poly(cyclopentadithiophene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (PCPDTBT); lung cancer; liposomes; tumor metastasis
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