Aggregation-enhanced theranostics:AIE sparkles in biomedical field

Theranostics referring to the ingenious integration of diagnostics and therapeutics has garnered tremendous attention in these years as it provides a promising opportunity for modern personalized and precision medicine.By virtue of the good biocompatibility,outstanding fluorescence property,easy processability and functionalization,promoted photosensitizing efficiency,as well as facile construction of multi-modality theranostics,fluorophores with aggregation-induced emission(AIE)characteristics exhibit inexhaustible and vigorous vitality in the field of theranostics.Numerous significant breakthroughs and state-of-the-art progression have been witnessed in the past few years.This review highlights the tremendous aggregation-enhanced superiorities of AIE luminogens(AIEgens)in disease theranostics mainly involving diagnostic imaging(fluorescence and room temperature phosphorescence),therapeutic intervention(photodynamic therapy),and feasibility in construction of multi-modality theranostics based on the experimental measurements and theoretical simulations.Additionally,the latest and advanced developments of AIEgens in disease theranostics in the aspect of corresponding strategies to design highly effective AIE-active theranostics through triggering aggregation formation are comprehensively summarized.Moreover,a brief conclusion with the discussion of current challenges and future perspectives in this area is further presented.