Nucleus-targeting ultrasmall ruthenium(iv) oxide nanoparticles for photoacoustic imaging and low-temperature photothermal therapy in the NIR-II window.

Nucleus-targeting NPs based on RuO2 (RuO(2)NPs) were developed by controlling the size and the surface charge of nanoparticles (NPs). This study not only demonstrates a facile approach for the fabrication of ultrasmall CS-RuO(2)NPs with good biocompatibility and excellent photothermal properties but also their unique potential for the nucleus-targeted low-temperature PTT.