Theranostics is a new type of biomedical technology that organically combines the diagnosis and
therapy of diseases. Among molecular imaging techniques, the integration of photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence (FL) imaging modes with high sensitivity and imaging depth provides precise diagnostic outcomes.
Gold nanorods (Au NRs) are well-known
contrast agents for PA imaging and
photothermal therapy. However, their high toxicity, poor biocompatibility, rapid clearance, and the need for an external
laser source limit their application. Therefore, modification of Au NRs with
carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) is done to obtain a multifunctional dual-mode
gold-based nanoformulation (mdGC), which preforms dual-mode imaging of PA and FL. The results show that mdGC promotes
tumor cell apoptosis and exhibits good antitumor performance through the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway by increasing the production of intracellular
reactive oxygen species, reducing mitochondrial membrane potential, and regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes. The targeting rate of mdGC to
tumor tissue is up to 20.71 ± 1.94% ID g-1 ; the
tumor growth inhibition rate is as high as 80.44% without external
laser sources. In general, mdGC is a potential multifunctional diagnostic and
therapy integrated nanoformulation.