The results have been published in Langmuir and recommended as Journal's front cover.

Bi₂MoO₆ (BMO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively used in photocatalytic applications. Also, utilized as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy. However, their UV absorption property hinders their clinical application.

In this research, scientists designed a new nanocomposite named Bi₂MoO₆/MoS₂/AuNRs (BMO-MSA) by modified Bi₂MoO₆ (BMO) by MoS₂/AuNRs (MSA) hybrid. They found that the resulting nanocomposite can absorb light in the NIR-II range. The outcomes of the research revealed that after exposured to light with wavelength 1064 nm, the BMO-MSA produced singlet oxygen (¹O₂) with quantum yield (QY) = 0.32 which confirmed its photodynamic therapy (PDT) ability. Moreover, it has POD-like activity, which enhances the chemodynamic therapy (CDT) effect.

To investigate the in vivo PDT efficiency of BMO-MSA, the researcher studied the germline apoptosis based on their previously C. elegans-established PDT model. The findings demonstrated that PDT caused germline apoptosis in the worm through the cep-1 pathway due to DNA damage. This finding was further supported by the utilization of a variety of mutants that had a lack of function related to DNA damage genes.

This work has not only provided a novel PDT agent which may be used for PDT in the NIR-II region but also introduced a new approach to therapy taking advantage of both PDT and CDT effects, according to the team.

The research results were published in Langmuir and recommended as Journal's front cover. (Image by Shereen)

ESR spectrum of (a) ·OH and (b) ¹O₂ under different conditions (Image by Shereen)

Representative images of germline apoptosis in N₂ induced by (a) control, (b) BMO-MSA, (c) light, and (d) PDT. The apoptotic cells are indicated by white arrows. (e) The germ cell corpses in the N₂ gonad were induced by BMO-MSA, light, and PDT with control. (Image by Shereen)