Mitochondria‐Targeting Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Cancer Photothermal Therapy

Abstract Nanomaterials have recently attracted much attention as efficient transducers for cancer photothermal therapy, based on their intrinsic absorption properties in the near‐infrared region. This study explores a novel therapy model with mitochondria‐targeting single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), which act efficiently to convert 980‐nm laser energy into heat and selectively destroy the target mitochondria, thereby inducing mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release, and caspase 3 activation. The laser+SWNTs process affords remarkable efficacy in suppressing tumor growth in a breast cancer model, and results in complete tumor regression in some cases. Laser+SWNTs could prove to be a promising selective local treatment modality, while minimizing adverse side effects.