Fig. 1

Chemical structure of IR780 and schematic diagram of IR780-liposomes and phospholipid micelles. Phospholipid nanoparticles, including liposomes and micelles are promising drug carriers, which can improve the pharmacokinetic property of the encapsulated drug and its accumulation and retention in solid tumor via the enhanced intratumoral permeability. The liposomes vesicle is composed of a phospholipid bilayer membrane enclosing an aqueous compartment. The phospholipid micelle vesicle has a single layer of phospholipid core with hydrophilic PEG chain coating on the surface. The sizes of phospholipid micelles are generally smaller than liposomes. Hydrophobic IR780 can self-assemble into the phospholipid bilayer membrane of liposomes and the phospholipid core of micelles during the formation of IR780-nanoparticles