CuCo2S4nanocrystals: a new platform for multimodal imaging guided photothermal therapy

Multifunctional nanomaterials open an avenue for the integration of cancer treatment and diagnosis, trending towards the clinical application of nanomedicines in future. Herein, we synthesized biocompatible CuCo2S4 nanocrystals (NCs) via a simple reflux method and unitized them as a new theranostic platform, where an intense near-infrared (NIR) absorption offers the CuCo2S4 NCs a perfect photothermal performance and photoacoustic (PA) imaging ability; the magnetic characteristic of Co allows them to serve as an enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent. The in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated their good biocompatibility, non-toxicity and perfect photothermal conversion performance and further confirmed that HeLa tumors could be effectively thermal-ablated upon the assistance of the CuCo2S4 NCs. This work introduces the first bioapplication of the CuCo2S4 NCs and promotes theranostics based on other ternary compounds.