Converting Lysosomes into Photothermal Organelles Enables Nanoparticle-Free Tumor Ablation via Intracellular Vapor Bubbles

Abstract

Photothermal nanomaterials enable precise tumor ablation but face limitations in biodistribution, tissue penetration, toxicity, and biodegradability. Here, we present a unique concept for nanoparticle-free photothermal therapy based on the lysosomal entrapment of cationic amphiphilic small molecular dyes for spatially controlled vapor bubble (VB)-mediated tumor cell ablation. This strategy, which exploits a universal biological and physical effect, employs intracellular pH gradients for extensive local dye enrichment in acidified organelles, transforming them into transient endogenous nanosized photothermal reactors for subsequent light activation. Using sunitinib, a clinically approved lysosomotropic anticancer drug, and the commercially available dye LysoTracker Deep Red, lacking intrinsic anticancer activity, we demonstrate pulsed laser-induced VB formation specifically from dye-loaded lysosomes, leading to selective photomechanical disruption of various cancer cell models across 2D cultures, 3D spheroids, patient-derived neuroblastoma tumoroids and tumor fragments from an ovarian carcinoma patient. This approach allows precise, low-fluence and wavelength-tunable cancer tissue ablation without the need for synthetic photoresponsive nanoparticles.