PEGylated PAMAM dendrimer nanoplatform for co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and inorganic nanoparticles enhancing chemo-photothermal combination therapy.

Chemo-photothermal combination therapy has emerged as an important approach for enhancing therapeutic efficacy against tumors. However, developing a flexible nanoplatform capable of co-encapsulating inorganic photothermal agents (PTAs) and organic antitumor drugs remains challenging. A polyethylene glycol-functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer (PAMAM-PEG) served as a template for the synthesis of copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles and subsequent encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) within its inner cavities. The multifunctional nanoplatform demonstrated high colloidal stability along with photothermal conversion efficiency upon 980 nm laser irradiation. This synergistic effect substantially improved DOX cellular uptake and tumor penetration, resulting in superior antitumor efficacy relative to chemotherapy alone. These results demonstrate that PAMAM-PEG represents a promising nanoplatform for combined chemo-photothermal therapy, providing a novel strategy to address current limitations in tumor treatment while enhancing therapeutic outcomes.