Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) have attracted a lot of attention during the past decade which is attributable to their versatile and high loading capacity, easy surface functionalization, excellent biocompatibility, and great physicochemical and thermal stability. In this review, we discuss the factors affecting the loading of protein into MSN and general strategies for targeted delivery and controlled release of proteins with MSN. Additionally, we also give an outlook for the remaining challenges in the clinical translation of protein-loaded MSNs.

A gold/mesoporous silica hybrid nanoparticle (GoMe), which possesses the best of both conventional gold nanoparticles and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, such as excellent photothermal converting ability as well as high drug loading capacity and triggerable drug release, has been developed. In contrast to gold nanorod and other heat generating gold nanoparticles, GoMe is photothermal stable and can be repetitively activated through NIR irradiation. Doxorubicin loaded GoMe ([email protected]) is sensitive to both NIR irradiation and intracellularly elevated redox potential. [email protected] coupled with NIR irradiation exhibits a synergistic effect of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy in killing cancer cells. Furthermore, ⁶⁴Cu-labeled GoMe can successfully detect the existence of clinically relevant spontaneous lung tumors in a urethane-induced lung cancer mouse model through PET imaging. Altogether, GoMe can be utilized as an effective theranostic platform for cancer therapy.