Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39940197›Full record

ArticleNanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Microfluidic-Assisted Silk Nanoparticles Co-Loaded with Epirubicin and Copper Sulphide: A Synergistic Photothermal-Photodynamic Chemotherapy Against Breast Cancer.

Zijian Gao, Muhamad Hawari Mansor, Faith Howard, Jordan MacInnes, Xiubo Zhao, Munitta Muthana

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Mechano-Organ-on-Chip for Cancer Research.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Zijian GaoDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S1 2RX, UK.
Muhamad Hawari MansorDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S1 2RX, UK.
Faith HowardDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S1 2RX, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9899-3079
Jordan MacInnesDepartment of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S1 2RX, UK.
Xiubo ZhaoSchool of Pharmacy, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China.
Munitta MuthanaDivision of Clinical Medicine, University of Sheffield, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S1 2RX, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2497-8903

Funding

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council EP/Z53304X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), has emerged as a promising non-invasive cancer treatment, addressing issues like drug resistance and systemic toxicity common in conventional breast cancer therapies. Recent research has shown that copper sulphide (CuS) nanoparticles and polydopamine (PDA) exhibit exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, making them valuable for cancer phototherapy. However, the effectiveness of PDT is limited in hypoxic tumour environments, which are common in many breast cancer types, due to its reliance on local oxygen levels. Moreover, single-modality approaches, including phototherapy, often prove insufficient for complete tumour elimination, despite their therapeutic strength. In this paper, a microfluidic-assisted approach was used to create multifunctional silk-based nanoparticles (SFNPs) encapsulating the chemotherapeutic drug Epirubicin (EPI), the PTT/PDT agent CuS, and the heat-activated, oxygen-independent alkyl radical generator AIPH for combined chemotherapy, PTT, and PDT, with a polydopamine (PDA) coating for enhanced photothermal effects and surface-bound folic acid (FA) for targeted delivery in breast cancer treatment. The synthesised CuS-EPI-AIPH@SF-PDA-FA nanoparticles achieved a controlled size of 378 nm, strong NIR absorption, and high photothermal conversion efficiency. Under 808 nm NIR irradiation, these nanoparticles selectively triggered the release of alkyl radicals and EPI, improving intracellular drug levels and effectively killing various breast cancer cell lines while demonstrating low toxicity to non-cancerous cells. We demonstrate that novel core-shell CuS-EPI-AIPH@SF-PDA-FA NPs have been successfully designed as a multifunctional nanoplatform integrating PTT, PDT, and chemotherapy for targeted, synergistic breast cancer treatment.

Indexed as

copper sulphideEpirubicinmicrofluidicsnanoparticlesphotodynamic therapyphototherapy

Identifiers

PMID39940197
PMCPMC11820260

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.