Fig. 5
Therapeutic effects of the nanoparticles. The establishment of a subcutaneous and b orthotopic oral tumour models (n = 6), and the subsequent treatments with PBS, 4.7 mg kg−1 DOX, 5.3 mg kg−1 Phy, 10 mg kg–1 upPhD NPs and 10 mg kg–1 pPhD NPs (calculated based on the concentration of PhD monomer), respectively. The doses of free DOX and Phy were equivalent to those in upPhD NPs and pPhD NPs groups, respectively. The laser (680 nm) doses were all set as 0.4 W cm−2 for 3 min. c The tumour volume changes on subcutaneous tumours (n = 6) after administration of various treatment groups. The black arrows denote the nanoparticles administration, red ones point out the tumour treated by laser treatments. d The complete cure rate (CCR%) of the subcutaneous tumours. e The tumour volume changes on orthotopic tumours (n = 6). f The CCR% of the orthotopic tumours treated with different groups. The images showed the tumour profiles of g the subcutaneous and h the orthotopic models, before (Pre) and after (Post) the pPhD NPs plus laser treatments. The mice were randomly aligned, the upper and lower panel may not correspond to each other. i H&E showed the histological changes induced by the in vivo phototherapeutic effect of photosensitizer-harboured materials. PBS group treated with laser was employed as control. The scale bar is 200 µm. j Body weights changes (n = 6) of tumour-bearing mice after treatment. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001. All error bars are presented as standard deviation. Note: the mice were immunodeficient, the laser treatments on right tumour were not able to induce immuno-responses to affect the left tumour
