Multifunctional quantum dots (QDs) with photothermal therapy (PTT) potential loaded with an anticancer drug and labelled with a targeting agent can be highly effective nano-agents for tumour specific, image-guided PTT/chemo combination therapy of cancer. Ag-chalcogenides are promising QDs with good biocompatibility. Ag₂S QDs are popular theranostic agents for imaging in near-infrared with PTT potential. However, theranostic applications of AgInS2 QDs emitting in the visible region and its PTT potential need to be explored. Here, we first present a simple synthesis of small, glutathione (GSH) coated AgInS₂ QDs with peak emission at 634 nm, 21% quantum yield, and excellent long-term stability without an inorganic shell. Ag2S-GSH QDs emitting in the near-infrared region (peak emission = 822 nm) were also produced. Both QDs were tagged with folic acid (FA) and conjugated with methotrexate (MTX). About 3-fold higher internalization of FA-tagged QDs by folate-receptor (FR) overexpressing HeLa cells than HT29 and A549 cells was observed. Delivery of MTX by QD-FA-MTX reduced the IC50 of the drug from 10 μg/mL to 2.5–5 μg/mL. MTX release was triggered at acidic pH, which was further enhanced with local temperature increase created by laser irradiation. Irradiation of AgInS₂-GSH QDs at 640 nm (300 mW) for 10 min, caused about 10 °C temperature increase but did not cause any thermal ablation of cells. On the other hand, Ag₂S-GSH-FA based PTT effectively and selectively killed HeLa cells with 10 min 808 nm laser irradiation via mostly necrosis with an IC₅₀ of 5 μg Ag/mL. Under the same conditions, IC₅₀ of MTX was reduced to 0.21 μg/mL if Ag₂S-GSH-FA.

具有光热疗法（PTT）潜能的多功能量子点（QDs）载有抗癌药并用靶向剂标记，可以成为用于肿瘤特异性，图像引导的PTT /化学联合疗法的高效纳米剂。银硫族化物是具有良好生物相容性的有前途的量子点。Ag ₂ S QD是用于PTT电位近红外成像的流行的治疗方法。但是，需要探索在可见光区域发射AgInS2 QD的分子筛应用及其PTT潜力。在这里，我们首先介绍一个小的，谷胱甘肽（GSH）包被的AgInS ₂的简单合成方法QDs在634 nm处具有峰值发射，量子产率为21％，并且在没有无机壳的情况下具有出色的长期稳定性。还产生了在近红外区域发射的Ag2S-GSH QD（峰值发射= 822 nm）。两个QD均标记有叶酸（FA），并与甲氨蝶呤（MTX）偶联。与HT29和A549细胞相比，通过叶酸受体（FR）过表达的HeLa细胞，FA标记的QD的内在化作用高出约3倍。通过QD-FA-MTX传递MTX可使药物的IC50从10μg/ mL降低至2.5-5μg/ mL。MTX释放是在酸性pH值下触发的，随着激光照射引起的局部温度升高，MTX释放进一步增强。AgInS _2的辐照-GSH QD在640 nm（300 mW）下持续10分钟，引起温度升高约10°C，但未引起细胞热消融。另一方面，基于Ag ₂ S-GSH-FA的PTT通过主要坏死，以5μgAg / mL的IC ₅₀通过10分钟808 nm激光辐照有效和选择性地杀死HeLa细胞。在相同条件下，如果使用Ag ₂ S-GSH-FA ，MTX的IC ₅₀降低至0.21μg/ mL 。