Functionalized Ionic Liquid Exfoliated MoS₂ Nanosheets for Photoacoustic Imaging Guided Synergistic Photothermal/Chemotherapy

Nanosheets exhibit highly specific recognition and can be effectively enriched in tumor cells. Controlling nanosheet size and reducing its potential toxicity are key issues in the photothermal therapy of tumors. Herein, a multifunctional nanoplatform based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is developed using a green solvent with antitumor activity, ionic liquid (IL) exfoliation, and surface modification to prepare a few layers of IL-MoS₂ nanosheets, with a lateral dimension of ≈96 nm and thickness of 4 nm. The PEG-b-PIL polymer improves the biocompatibility, physiological stability, and biodegradability of the nanosheet, and IL-MoS₂-PEG-b-PIL exhibits good photothermal stability and photothermal effects. The in vitro and in vivo results show that IL-MoS₂-PEG-b-PIL nanosheets synergistically inhibit tumor cell growth in combination with photothermal therapy and chemotherapy under 808 nm laser irradiation. The steady increase in the weight of mice during the treatment indicates that the nanosheets are safe. Therefore, the results confirm that IL-MoS₂-PEG-b-PIL nanosheets exhibit good antitumor effects and provide a promising strategy for clinical cancer treatments.