We report the rational design of coordination-driven self-assembly metal-organic nanostructures for multifunctional nanotheranostics. Zinc(II) coordination-based nano-formulations capable of loading indocyanine green (ICG) and therapeutic genes were prepared to achieve a fluorescence/photoacoustic imaging-guided combination photo/gene therapy strategy. We showed the enhanced theranostic capability of zinc(II)-dipicolylamine-assisted assembly of ICG, as well as simultaneous targeted gene delivery in an experimental mouse model of cancer. Such a co-assembly strategy provides a facile way to achieve combined therapeutic functions for personalized nanomedicine.
Keywords: ZnII-dipicolylamine; gene therapy; indocyanine green; metal-organic nanostructures; phototherapy.
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