Near-Infrared Fluorescent Endoscopic Image-Guided Photothermal Ablation Therapy of Colorectal Cancer Using Dual-Modal Gold Nanorods Targeting Tumor-Infiltrating Innate Immune Cells in a Transgenic TS4 CRE/APC^loxΔ468 Mouse Model

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is diagnosed with colonoscopy and treated with focal therapies. CRC is a good candidate for nanoparticle-mediated photothermal ablation (PTA) therapy. Herein, we developed a near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) endoscopic image-guided PTA approach using a nanoparticle capable of simultaneously diagnosing and treating CRC. Dual-modal NIR heating and fluorescent gold nanorods (dual-modal GNRs) were synthesized by conjugation of GNRs to an NIRF probe. To validate the translational potential of our approach, a well-characterized transgenic TS4 CRE/APCloxΔ468 colon cancer mouse model was used to carry out NIRF image-guided PTA using our dual-modal GNRs under clinically relevant conditions. Intravenously infused dual-modal GNRs were effectively targeted at colon polyps by immunogenic capturing of the GNRs within tumor-infiltrating innate immune cells. NIRF endoscopic image-guided PTA using the GNRs permitted successful detection and ablation of inflammatory colon polyps. NIRF endoscopy image-guided PTA using dual-modal GNRs can be utilized for diagnosis and treatment of CRC and various inflammatory diseases.