Fig. 6

MoS₂–SS–HA–CPT for synergetic chemo-photothermal cancer therapy in vitro. a Viabilities of A549 cells pretreated with GSH-OEt (0 or 10 mM) after incubation with free CPT or MoS₂–SS–HA–CPT. A549 cells were treated with cell medium containing GSH-OEt (0 or 10 mM) for 2 h. After this treatment, the cells were incubated with free CPT or MoS₂–SS–HA–CPT at different CPT concentrations for 2 h, washed with PBS, and then incubated for another 48 h before the MTT assay. The data are expressed as the mean ± SD (n = 5) and were analyzed via ANOVA. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. b Viabilities of GSH-OEt-treated and non-GSH-OEt-treated A549 cells incubated with free CPT, MoS₂–SS–HA, or MoS₂–SS–HA–CPT for 2 h, followed by NIR irradiation and incubation for an additional 48 h before the MTT assay. The data are expressed as the mean ± SD (n = 6) and were analyzed via ANOVA. ^##p < 0.01. c Phase-contrast images of A549 cells after several of the treatments mentioned in a and b