Aptamer-targeted biomimetic gold nanostar core with mesoporous organosilica layer for NIR-triggered chemo-photothermal therapy and CT imaging of melanoma

Chemo-photothermal therapy (chemo-PTT), which integrates chemotherapy with photothermal ablation, has emerged as a promising strategy for enhancing antitumor efficacy compared with single-modality treatments. However, aggressive malignancies such as melanoma still demand more efficient targeted and imaging-guided therapeutic platforms. The aim of this study was to develop a near-infrared (NIR)-responsive theranostic nanoplatform capable of targeted drug delivery, controlled release, and synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy. For this purpose, gold nanostars (AuNSts) were coated with a thin mesoporous organosilica layer (MOSNPs), followed by doxorubicin (DOX) encapsulation to form AuNSts@MOSNPs@DOX. To improve biocompatibility and prolong systemic circulation, the nanoparticles were further encapsulated in B16F0 cancer cell membranes (CCM), thereby serving as a biomimetic gatekeeper. Finally, Sgc-8c aptamer conjugation yielded the targeted construct, Apt-AuNSts@MOSNPs@DOX@CCM, for melanoma-specific delivery. Notably, this work presents a novel dual-responsive and biomimetic strategy that combines cancer cell membrane camouflage with aptamer-mediated active targeting, thereby enhancing tumor specificity and enabling imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy. The nanoplatform exhibited a high DOX loading capacity (31.79% ± 5.4) and loading efficiency (79.45% ± 13.5), along with NIR- triggered drug release. In vitro studies on B16F0 melanoma cells demonstrated significantly increased cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the aptamer-functionalized nanoparticles under chemo-PTT conditions compared with non-targeted systems (p < 0.001). In vivo evaluation in melanoma-bearing mice revealed that Apt-AuNSts@MOSNPs@DOX@CCM combined with 808 nm laser irradiation induced complete tumor regression, achieved 100% survival, and enhanced computed tomography contrast. Overall, this multifunctional nanoplatform offers a promising targeted, imaging-guided strategy for effective melanoma therapy.