Engineering J-aggregates for NIR-induced meso-CF3-BODIPY nanoparticles by activated apoptosis mechanism in photothermal therapy

Forming J -aggregates by organic monomer is a fascinating strategy to urge spectroscopic redshift with respect to that of the monomer. Herein, we designed 1,7-diphenyl-substituted meso -CF 3 -BDP monomer confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The low-barrier rotation of the -CF 3 group in meso -CF 3 -BDP 1 significantly enhances the non-radiative efficiency, and the photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of the self-assembled nanoparticles ( 1-NPs : & lambda;abs = 746 nm) by J -aggregates was 82%. 1-NPs could effectively block cell cycle progression, inhibit cancer cell proliferation and trigger cell apoptosis under low power laser irradiation (0.2 W/cm 2 ). This study proposes an alternate molecular design platform by J -aggregates to promote PCE through the insertion of rotating segment and trigger the cancer cells apoptosis in photothermal therapy at low power laser density. & COPY; 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.