Multifunctional Nanoparticles Precisely Reprogram the Tumor Microenvironment and Potentiate Antitumor Immunotherapy after Near-Infrared-II Light-Mediated Photothermal Therapy

NIR-II AIEgen with high photothermal efficiency for mild PTT: Optimized natural killer cell spatial distribution for boosted immune response

Organic photothermal agents (PTAs) with high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) and biocompatibility are ideal for mild photothermal therapy (PTT), which can selectively eliminate tumor cells and elicit an active immune response. However, the challenge lies in developing PTAs with high PCE, and the impact of PTT-induced temperature gradients on the cytolytic potential of natural killer (NK) cells against tumor cells has yet been investigated. Herein a novel NIR-II aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecule named C12T-BBT is proposed by conjugating an electron donor TPA with a strong electron acceptor BBT, using a long alkyl chain (C12) substituted thiophene as π-bridge. By doing this, C12T-BBT has a relative planar structure to ensure a high extinction coefficient, while the long alkyl chain restricts the π-π interaction and provides more room for molecular motion in excited state. Together, these design strategies assure C12T-BBT with a high PCE of 84.7 %. In vivo experiments exhibit favorable NIR-II imaging and tumor elimination using water-soluble cRGD@C12T-BBT nanoparticles. The application of mild PTT results in an effective induction of NK cell response in terms of shortening its distance with tumor cells from 25.6 μm to 10.6 μm, characterized using a machine-learning based spatial analysis, thereby enhancing the efficacy of cancer therapy. Therefore, this work provides evidence for a novel combined anti-tumor strategy of aligning mild PTT and NK cell immunotherapy by illustrating crucial optimization of NK-tumor intercellular proximity in mild PTT.

Electron Pump and Photon Trap Effect-Derived Selective Antitumor of Fe-Ppy@CaO2-Modified Polyetheretherketone for Bone Tumor Therapy

Bone tumors with high mortality and disability have become a major clinical challenge. Herewith, it is necessary to design materials for bone tumor therapy and bone repair. In this work, Fe-doped polypyrrole (Fe-Ppy) and CaO2 are constructed on sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SP) to form a multistage-responsive coating. The coating achieves long-lasting antitumor through chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and combined immunotherapy. Fe-Ppy acts as an electron pump to replenish Fe2+ through oxidizing -NH- to -N+-, which lasts the Fenton reaction and persistently produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CaO2 selectively provides exogenous H2O2 in response to TME to boost the electron cycle. Stronger near-infrared light absorption due to Fe doping and more photon traps caused by porous structure-induced scattering and refraction diminishment improve the photothermal conversion of modified SP. Furthermore, long-lasting ROS and effective photothermal conversion enhance M1 activation to secrete TNF-α and IFN to kill tumor cells. After tumor therapy, Fe-Ppy@CaO2-modified SP could adaptively switch the macrophage to M2 and promote osteogenesis with the abolishment of TME and NIR stimulation. In summary, Fe-Ppy@CaO2-modified SP with long-lasting ROS, enhanced photothermal conversion, and immunomodulation is a potential candidate for bone tumor therapy and tissue repair.

Biomimetic Copper-Based Nanoplatform for Enhanced Tumor Targeting and Effective Melanoma Therapy

Designing advanced biomimetic nanoplatforms that combine photothermal therapy (PTT) and immune activation represents a modern approach to addressing the challenges of cancer therapy. This study presents a nanobiomimetic hollow copper-sulfide (HCuS) platform for precise homotypic tumor targeting and melanoma treatment. The HCuS@OVA@CM (COC) nanoplatform-encapsulated ovalbumin (OVA) antigen protein within HCuS nanoparticles and was coated with melanoma cell membranes (B16F10). Importantly, this design facilitates specific tumor accumulation and achieves 16.0% photothermal conversion efficiency under 1064 nm NIR-II irradiation, which is a key factor for therapeutic success. In vitro studies have demonstrated that this nanoplatform induces immunogenic cell death (ICD), enhances antigen presentation, and stimulates dendritic cell (DCs) maturation. In vivo experiments confirmed that COC-mediated NIR-II photothermal treatment significantly suppressed tumor growth without notable body weight loss. This biomimetic nanoplatform approach offers a targeted, enhanced, and effective immune response for tumor photothermal immunotherapy, making it a promising candidate for advanced melanoma treatment and anticancer therapy.

Copper-based metal-organic frameworks for antitumor application

It is urgent to exploit multifunctional materials and combined approaches for efficient antitumor effects. Copper-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) have excellent performances in catalysis, biocompatibility, photothermal conversion, and regulate metabolism, which make them attract more and more attention in antitumor application. Therefore, in this review, representative ligands, synthetic methods, antitumor mechanism, and antitumor applications of Cu-MOFs were provided. Special emphasis is placed on the recent antitumor applications of Cu-MOFs in drug carriers, antitumor therapy, tumor imaging, and theranostic, which are summarized with examples. Finally, we presented the dilemma faced by Cu-MOFs and offered a new perspective for future antitumor application. Hopefully, this review may serve as a reference for further development and application of Cu-MOFs.

Nanomaterial-mediated photothermal therapy modulates tumor-associated macrophages: applications in cancer therapy

Complex pathogenesis and diverse clinical features pose many challenges in selecting appropriate cancer treatment strategies. Recent studies have shown that tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play dual roles in both promoting and inhibiting tumor growth. TAMs not only contribute to tumor survival and metastasis but also impact the response to therapy. Nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy (PTT) strategies have been widely used as ablative therapies for various cancers. Many studies have demonstrated that nanomaterial-mediated PTT effectively shifts TAMs towards an anticancer phenotype, thus inducing tumor apoptosis. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment will undoubtedly accelerate advancements in tumor therapy. This paper summarizes the application of nanomaterial-mediated PTT for cancer treatment by modulating TAMs. It highlights the types of nanomaterials and near-infrared laser modes used in the treatment process, analyzes the physicochemical factors that influence the distribution of different isoforms in TAMs, and finally explores the specific therapeutic parameters and mechanisms of nanomaterial-mediated PTT to guide future research in related fields.

Nuclear-targeted smart nanoplatforms featuring double-shell hollow mesoporous copper sulfide coated with manganese dioxide synergistically potentiate chemotherapy and immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Smart nanoplatforms designed for nuclear-targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumor sites are pivotal in advancing tumor treatment and immunotherapy. Herein, we introduced a novel nuclear-targeting double-shell smart nanoplatform (HMCuS/Pt/ICG@MnO2@9R-P201 (HMCPIM9P)), which synergistically enhances chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), immunotherapy and chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The core of this nanoplatform consists of double-shell multifunctional nanoparticles (HMCuS@MnO2) that enable targeted delivery of the photosensitizer Indocyanine Green (ICG) and the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin (Pt). By effectively consuming glutathione (GSH), these nanoparticles boost the chemotherapeutic efficacy of Pt. Additionally, the manganese ion (Mn2+) present activate the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) (cGAS-STING) pathway, bolstering adaptive immune responses against tumors and elevating the level of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells. The incorporation of the hepatoma-targeting peptide (9R-P201 peptide) allows the system to exhibit FOXM1 receptor-mediated nuclear targeting properties specifically in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Notably, when combined with near-infrared (NIR) light, HMCPIM9P demonstrated a remarkable tumor inhibition rate of 95.6 %, fostered a robust immune response, and significantly inhibited tumor growth and recurrence. Overall, the smart nanoplatform boasts active nuclear targeting capabilities, enabling the enrichment of chemotherapeutic agents at tumor sites, and holds great potential for synergistic applications in enhancing chemotherapy and immunotherapy for HCC.

Infrared radiation for cancer hyperthermia: the light to brighten up oncology

INTRODUCTION

Cancer constitutes the greatest public health threat to humans, as its incidence and mortality rates continue to increase worldwide. With the development of medical physics, more practitioners focus on the direct and indirect anti-tumor effects of physical factors. Infrared radiation (INR) is currently the most rapidly developing physical therapy method for tumors and has become a favored target for many oncologists and researchers owing to its advantages of high efficiency, low toxicity, and strong feasibility.

AREAS COVERED

This work provides a comprehensive collection of the latest information on INR anti-tumor research, drawing from public medical databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Clinical Trials) from the last 10 years (2014 to 2024), and encompassing both basic and clinical research in oncology and physics. This article reviews the application of INR in tumor hyperthermia, summarizes and analyzes the practical value of INR for tumor treatment, and discusses future development trends to provide valuable assistance for the subsequent development of oncology.

EXPERT OPINION

Currently, INR has continuously accumulated excellent data in the field of tumor hyperthermia, bringing practical survival benefits to patients with cancer, and playing an important role in basic and clinical cancer research.

Tumor Microenvironment Specific Regulation Ca-Fe-Nanospheres for Ferroptosis-Promoted Domino Synergistic Therapy and Tumor Immune Response

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated emerging treatments exhibit unique advantages in cancer therapy in recent years. While the efficacy of ROS-involved tumor therapy is greatly restricted by complex tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, a dual-metal CaO2@CDs-Fe (CCF) nanosphere, with TME response and regulation capabilities, are proposed to improve ROS lethal power by a multiple cascade synergistic therapeutic strategy with domino effect. In response to weak acidic TME, CCF will decompose, accompanied with intracellular Ca2+ upregulated and abundant H2O2 and O2 produced to reverse antitherapeutic TME. Then the exposed CF cores can act as both Fenton agent and sonosensitizer to generate excessive ROS in the regulated TME for enhanced synergistic CDT/SDT. In combination with calcium overloading, the augmented ROS induced oxidative stress will cause more severe mitochondrial damage and cellular apoptosis. Furthermore, CCF can also reduce GPX4 expression and enlarge the lipid peroxidation, causing ferroptosis and apoptosis in parallel. These signals of damage will finally initiate damage-associated molecular patterns to activate immune response and to realize excellent antitumor effect. This outstanding domino ROS/calcium loading synergistic effect endows CCF with excellent anticancer effect to efficiently eliminate tumor by apoptosis/ferroptosis/ICD both in vitro and in vivo.

Coadministration of Quercetin and Indocyanine Green via PEGylated Phospholipid Micelles for Augmented Chem-Photothermal Combination Tumor Therapy

A significant impediment persists in developing multicomponent nanomedicines designed to dismantle the heat shock protein (HSP)-based protective mechanism of malignant tumors during photothermal therapy. Herein, well-defined PEGylated phospholipid micelles were utilized to coencapsulate quercetin (QUE, a natural anticancer agent and potent HSP inhibitor) and indocyanine green (ICG, a photothermal agent) with the aim of achieving synchronized and synergistic drug effects. The subsequent investigations validated that the tailored micellar system effectively enhanced QUE's water solubility and augmented its cellular internalization efficiency. Intriguingly, the compositional PEGylated phospholipids induced extraordinary endoplasmic reticulum stress, thereby sensitizing the tumor cells to QUE. Furthermore, QUE played a crucial role in inhibiting the stress-induced overexpression of HSP70, thereby augmenting the photothermal efficacy of ICG. In systemic applications, the proposed nanotherapeutics exhibited preferential accumulation within tumors and exerted notable tumoricidal effects against 4T1 xenograft tumors under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, facilitated by prominent near-infrared fluorescence imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy. Therefore, our strategy for fabricating multicomponent nanomedicines emerges as a coordinated platform for optimizing antitumor therapeutic efficacy and offers valuable insights for diverse therapeutic modalities.

A Novel CaCu-Metal-Organic-Framework Based Multimodal Treatment Platform for Enhanced Synergistic Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Metal ions have attracted a lot of interest in antitumor therapy due to their unique mechanism of action. However, multiple death mechanisms associate with metal ions to synergistic antitumors have few studies mainly due to the serious challenges in designing and building metal-associated multimodal treatment platforms. Hence, a series of glutathione-activatable CaCu-based metal-organic-frameworks loaded with doxorubicin and ovalbumin are successfully designed and synthesized with an "all in one" strategy, which is modified by galactosamine-linked hyaluronic acid to prepare multimodal treatment platform (SCC/DOX@OVA-HG) for targeted delivery and synergistic antitumor therapy. SCC/DOX@OVA-HG can be rapidly degraded by the overexpressed glutathione and then releases the "cargoes" in the tumor microenvironment. The released Cu+ efficiently catalyzes H2O2 to produce highly toxic ROS for CDT, and the up-regulation of calcium ion concentration in tumor cells induced by the released Ca2+ enables calcium overload therapy, which synergically enhances the metal-related death pattern. Meanwhile, OVA combined with Ca2+/Cu2+ further activates macrophages into an M1-like phenotype to accelerate tumor cell death through immunotherapy. Besides, the released DOX can also insert into the DNA double helix for chemotherapy. Consequently, the developed SCC/DOX@OVA-HG reveals significantly improved antitumor efficacy through a multimodal synergistic therapy of chemotherapy, chemodynamic therapy, calcium overload, and immunotherapy.

AIBI Modified Mesoporous Copper Sulfide Nanocomposites for Efficient Non-Oxygen Dependent Free Radicals-Assisted Photothermal Therapy in Uveal Melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UM) is an ocular cancer predominantly affecting adults, characterized by challenging diagnostic outcomes. This research endeavors to develop an innovative multifunctional nanocomposite system sensitive to near-infrared (NIR) radiation, serving as both a non-oxygen free-radical generator and a photothermal agent. The designed system combines azobis isobutyl imidazoline hydrochloride (AIBI) with mesoporous copper sulfide (MCuS) nanoparticles. MCuS harnesses NIR laser energy to induce photothermal therapy, converting light energy into heat to destroy cancer cells. Simultaneously, AIBI is activated by the NIR laser to produce alkyl radicals, which induce DNA damage in remaining cancer cells. This distinctive feature equips the designed system to selectively eliminate cancers in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. MCuS is also beneficial to scavenge the overexpressed glutathione (GSH) in the tumor microenvironment. GSH generally consumes free radicals and hiders the PDT effect. To enhance control over AIBI release in cancer cells, 1-tetradecyl alcohol (TD), a phase-changing material, is introduced onto the surface of MCuS nanoparticles to create the final AMPT nanoparticle system. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirm the remarkable anti-tumor efficacy of AMPT. Notably, the study introduces an orthotopic tumor model for UM, demonstrating the feasibility of precise and effective targeted treatment within the ocular system.

Recent Advances in Nanomedicine for Ocular Fundus Neovascularization Disease Management

As an indispensable part of the human sensory system, visual acuity may be impaired and even develop into irreversible blindness due to various ocular pathologies. Among ocular diseases, fundus neovascularization diseases (FNDs) are prominent etiologies of visual impairment worldwide. Intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs remains the primary therapy but is hurdled by common complications and incomplete potency. To renovate the current therapeutic modalities, nanomedicine emerged as the times required, which is endowed with advanced capabilities, able to fulfill the effective ocular fundus drug delivery and achieve precise drug release control, thus further improving the therapeutic effect. This review provides a comprehensive summary of advances in nanomedicine for FND management from state-of-the-art studies. First, the current therapeutic modalities for FNDs are thoroughly introduced, focusing on the key challenges of ocular fundus drug delivery. Second, nanocarriers are comprehensively reviewed for ocular posterior drug delivery based on the nanostructures: polymer-based nanocarriers, lipid-based nanocarriers, and inorganic nanoparticles. Thirdly, the characteristics of the fundus microenvironment, their pathological changes during FNDs, and corresponding strategies for constructing smart nanocarriers are elaborated. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of nanomedicine for FND management are thoroughly discussed.

Photothermal therapy of copper incorporated nanomaterials for biomedicine

Studies have reported on the significance of copper incorporated nanomaterials (CINMs) in cancer theranostics and tissue regeneration. Given their unique physicochemical properties and tunable nanostructures, CINMs are used in photothermal therapy (PTT) and photothermal-derived combination therapies. They have the potential to overcome the challenges of unsatisfactory efficacy of conventional therapies in an efficient and non-invasive manner. This review summarizes the recent advances in CINMs-based PTT in biomedicine. First, the classification and structure of CINMs are introduced. CINMs-based PTT combination therapy in tumors and PTT guided by multiple imaging modalities are then reviewed. Various representative designs of CINMs-based PTT in bone, skin and other organs are presented. Furthermore, the biosafety of CINMs is discussed. Finally, this analysis delves into the current challenges that researchers face and offers an optimistic outlook on the prospects of clinical translational research in this field. This review aims at elucidating on the applications of CINMs-based PTT and derived combination therapies in biomedicine to encourage future design and clinical translation.

Metal-Based Nanoparticles for Cancer Metalloimmunotherapy

Although the promise of cancer immunotherapy has been partially fulfilled with the unprecedented clinical success of several immunotherapeutic interventions, some issues, such as limited response rate and immunotoxicity, still remain. Metalloimmunotherapy offers a new form of cancer immunotherapy that utilizes the inherent immunomodulatory features of metal ions to enhance anticancer immune responses. Their versatile functionalities for a multitude of direct and indirect anticancer activities together with their inherent biocompatibility suggest that metal ions can help overcome the current issues associated with cancer immunotherapy. However, metal ions exhibit poor drug-like properties due to their intrinsic physicochemical profiles that impede in vivo pharmacological performance, thus necessitating an effective pharmaceutical formulation strategy to improve their in vivo behavior. Metal-based nanoparticles provide a promising platform technology for reshaping metal ions into more drug-like formulations with nano-enabled engineering approaches. This review provides a general overview of cancer immunotherapy, the immune system and how it works against cancer cells, and the role of metal ions in the host response and immune modulation, as well as the impact of metal ions on the process via the regulation of immune cells. The preclinical studies that have demonstrated the potential of metal-based nanoparticles for cancer metalloimmunotherapy are presented for the representative nanoparticles constructed with manganese, zinc, iron, copper, calcium, and sodium ions. Lastly, the perspectives and future directions of metal-based nanoparticles are discussed, particularly with respect to their clinical applications.