Abstract: In this study, a pH-responsive intelligent theranostic nanoprobe was designed and constructed. The nanoprobe utilizes perfluorocarbon nanoparticles with ¹⁹F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast capability as the core, with bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on the surface to form a “protein corona”. Furthermore, tannic acid-iron (TA-Fe^III) is complexed to create the core-shell structured PP@BSA-TAFe^III nanoparticles (NPs) probe. The unsaturated coordination state of Fe³⁺ in TA-Fe^III enables the nanoprobe to bind transferrin upon entering the bloodstream, forming a “hybrid” protein corona and thereby achieving active targeting of transferrin receptors (TfR) highly expressed on the tumor cell membrane. The nanoprobe efficiently accumulates in tumor tissue and generates a strong ¹⁹F-MRI signal, enabling highly sensitive tumor imaging. Upon entry into the acidic tumor microenvironment, Fe³⁺ is released to induce ferroptosis, while TA-Fe^III exhibits excellent photothermal effects, enabling synergistic therapy. This in situ regulation strategy of the protein corona offers a new approach for precise tumor diagnosis and therapy.

Key words: 19F Magnetic resonance imaging, Ferroptosis, Photothermal therapy