Nir-driven Au@MoC nanoreactors for enhanced liver cancer treatment via photodynamic and photothermal therapy

• This study introduces the Au@MoC NIR nanoreactor, which efficiently generates heat and reactive oxygen species (ROS) under NIR irradiation, enhancing both photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) effects. • In HepG-2 and HuH-7 cells, Au@MoC increases ROS production and activates the Hippo pathway, promoting apoptosis and strengthening anticancer effects. • These results suggest Au@MoC as a promising agent to improve PDT and PTT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a significant challenge to global health, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) use light-activated photosensitizers to selectively induce cytotoxicity in tumor cells. This study introduces a novel NIR nanoreactor, Au@MoC, which captures light across the entire NIR spectrum. Under NIR irradiation, Au@MoC generates both heat and reactive oxygen species (ROS), creating a synergistic effect between PTT and PDT. In light-activated conditions, Au@MoC significantly enhances ROS generation in HepG-2 and HuH-7 cells, demonstrating a stronger anticancer effect. RNA sequencing reveals that Au@MoC not only promotes ROS release but also activates the Hippo signaling pathway, enhancing apoptosis in HepG-2 and HuH-7 cells. Thus, this study highlights the potential of Au@MoC nanoreactors to improve PDT and PTT effectiveness, promote ROS generation and apoptosis, and ultimately inhibit HCC progression.