NIR-II-responsive AuNRs@SiO2-RB@MnO2 nanotheranostic for multimodal imaging-guided CDT/PTT synergistic cancer therapy

Exploring the application of metal-based photothermal agents in photothermal therapy combined with immune checkpoint therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT), a popular local treatment that uses heat to ablate tumors, has limited efficacy in addressing metastatic and deeply located tumors when used alone. Integrating PTT with immunotherapy not only yields a synergistic effect but also promotes cancer regression and confers the benefit of immune memory, which can surmount the challenges faced by PTT when used in isolation. Metal-based nanomaterials, renowned for their superior photothermal conversion efficiency and distinctive photochemical properties, have been extensively researched and applied in the field of PTT. This review summarizes the latest developments in combination therapies, with a specific focus on the combination of PTT and immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) for cancer treatment, including a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in noble metal-based and 2D transition metal chalcogenides (TMDCs)-based photothermal agents, and their anticancer effect when combining PTT with immune checkpoint blockades (anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-L1) therapy. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the application, current challenges and future prospects of metal-based photothermal agents in PTT combined with ICT for cancer treatment.

Recent advances in two-dimensional materials for drug delivery

Two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibit significant potential in biomedical applications, particularly as drug carriers. Thus, 2D materials, including graphene, black phosphorus, transition metal dichalcogenides, transition metal carbides/nitrides, and hexagonal boron nitride, have been extensively studied. Their large specific surface area, abundant surface active sites, and excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability make them ideal platforms for drug loading and delivery. By optimizing the physicochemical properties and methods for the surface modification of 2D materials, improved drug release mechanisms and enhanced combination therapy effects can be achieved, providing a reliable foundation for efficient cancer treatment. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the recent advances in the utilization of 2D materials for drug delivery. It systematically categorizes and summarizes the preparation methodologies, surface modification strategies, application domains, primary advantages and potential drawbacks of various 2D materials in the biomedical field. Furthermore, it provides an extensive overview of current challenges in this field and outlines potential future research directions for 2D materials in drug delivery based on existing issues.

Nanomedicine-induced programmed cell death in cancer therapy: mechanisms and perspectives

The balance of programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms, including apoptosis, autophagy, necroptosis and others, is pivotal in cancer progression and treatment. Dysregulation of these pathways results in uncontrolled cell growth and resistance to conventional therapies. Nanomedicine offers a promising solution in oncology through targeted drug delivery enabling precise targeting of cancer cells while preserving healthy tissues. This approach reduces the side effects of traditional chemotherapy and enhances treatment efficacy by engaging PCD pathways. We details each PCD pathway, their mechanisms, and innovative nanomedicine strategies to activate these pathways, thereby enhancing therapeutic specificity and minimizing harm to healthy tissues. The precision of nanotechnology in targeting PCD pathways promises significant improvements in cancer treatment outcomes. This synergy between nanotechnology and targeted PCD activation could lead to more effective and less toxic cancer therapies, heralding a new era in cancer treatment.

Ultrasensitive Hierarchical AuNRs@SiO2@Ag SERS Probes for Enrichment and Detection of Insulin and C-Peptide in Serum

Introduction

Insulin and C-peptide played crucial roles as clinical indicators for diabetes and certain liver diseases. However, there has been limited research on the simultaneous detection of insulin and C-peptide in trace serum. It is necessary to develop a novel method with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting insulin and C-peptide simultaneously.

Methods

A core-shell-satellites hierarchical structured nanocomposite was fabricated as SERS biosensor using a simple wet-chemical method, employing 4-MBA and DTNB for recognition and antibodies for specific capture. Gold nanorods (Au NRs) were modified with Raman reporter molecules and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), creating SERS tags with high sensitivity for detecting insulin and C-peptide. Antibody-modified commercial carboxylated magnetic bead@antibody served as the capture probes. Target materials were captured by probes and combined with SERS tags, forming a "sandwich" composite structure for subsequent detection.

Results

Under optimized conditions, the nanocomposite fabricated could be used to detect simultaneously for insulin and C-peptide with the detection limit of 4.29 × 10-5 pM and 1.76 × 10-10 nM in serum. The insulin concentration (4.29 × 10-5-4.29 pM) showed a strong linear correlation with the SERS intensity at 1075 cm-1, with high recoveries (96.4-105.3%) and low RSD (0.8%-10.0%) in detecting human serum samples. Meanwhile, the C-peptide concentration (1.76 × 10-10-1.76 × 10-3 nM) also showed a specific linear correlation with the SERS intensity at 1333 cm-1, with recoveries 85.4%-105.0% and RSD 1.7%-10.8%.

Conclusion

This breakthrough provided a novel, sensitive, convenient and stable approach for clinical diagnosis of diabetes and certain liver diseases. Overall, our findings presented a significant contribution to the field of biomedical research, opening up new possibilities for improved diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes and liver diseases.

Tumor microenvironment-responsive size-changeable and biodegradable HA-CuS/MnO2 nanosheets for MR imaging and synergistic chemodynamic therapy/phototherapy

Tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive size-changeable and biodegradable nanoplatforms for multimodal therapy possess huge advantages in anti-tumor therapy. Hence, we developed a hyaluronic acid (HA) modified CuS/MnO2 nanosheets (HCMNs) as a multifunctional nanoplatform for synergistic chemodynamic therapy (CDT)/photothermal therapy (PTT)/photodynamic therapy (PDT). The prepared HCMNs exhibited significant NIR light absorption and photothermal conversion efficiency because of the densely deposited ultra-small sized CuS nanoparticles on the surface of MnO2 nanosheet. They could precisely target the tumor cells and rapidly decomposed into small sized nanostructures in the TME, and then efficiently promote intracellular ROS generation through a series of cascade reactions. Moreover, the local temperature elevation induced by photothermal effect also promote the PDT based on CuS nanoparticles and the Fenton-like reaction of Mn2+, thereby enhancing the therapeutic efficiency. Furthermore, the T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was significantly enhanced by the abundant Mn2+ ions from the decomposition process of HCMNs. In addition, the CDT/PTT/PDT synergistic therapy using a single NIR light source exhibited considerable anti-tumor effect via in vitro cell test. Therefore, the developed HCMNs will provide great potential for MR imaging and multimodal synergistic cancer therapy.

Cisplatin-loaded mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles capped with MnO2 and coated with platelet membrane provide synergistic anti-tumor therapy

A multifunctional nanoplatform was constructed in this work, with the goal of ameliorating the challenges faced with traditional cancer chemotherapy. Cisplatin (CP) was loaded into mesoporous polydopamine (mPDA) nanoparticles (NPs) with a drug loading of 15.8 ± 0.1 %, and MnO2 used as pore sealing agent. Finally, the NPs were wrapped with platelet membrane (PLTM). P-selectin on the PLTM can bind to CD44, which is highly expressed on the tumor cell membrane, so as to improve the targeting performance of the NPs. In addition, the CD47 on the PLTM can prevent the NPs from being phagocytosed by macrophages, which is conducive to immune escape. The final PLTM-CP@mPDA/MnO2 NPs were found to have a particle size of approximately 198 nm. MnO2 is degraded into Mn2+ in the tumor microenvironment, leading to CP release from the pores in the mPDA. CP both acts as a chemotherapy agent and can also increase the concentration of H2O2 in cells. Mn2+ can catalyze the conversion of H2O2 to OH, resulting in oxidative damage and chemodynamic therapy. In addition, Mn2+ can be used as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to explore the therapeutic effect of the NPs. When the concentration of CP is 30 μg/mL, the NPs cause approximately 50 % cell death. It was found that the PLTM-CP@mPDA/MnO2 NPs are targeted to cancerous cells, and in the tumor site cause extensive apoptosis. Tumor growth is thereby repressed. No negative off-target side effects were noted. MRI could be used to confirm the presence of the NPs in the tumor site. Overall, the nano-platform developed here provides cooperative chemotherapy and chemodynamic therapy, and can potentially be used for effective cancer treatment which could be monitored by MRI.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment platform based on manganese-based nanomaterials

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the development of new diagnostic and treatment methods is crucial. Manganese-based nanomaterials (MnNMs) have emerged as a focal point in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment due to their multifunctional properties. These nanomaterials have been extensively explored as contrast agents for various imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PAI), and near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIR-FL). The use of these nanomaterials has significantly enhanced the contrast for precise tumor detection and localization. Moreover, MnNMs have shown responsiveness to the tumor microenvironment (TME), enabling innovative approaches to cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of the latest developments of MnNMs and their potential applications in tumor diagnosis and therapy. Finally, potential challenges and prospects of MnNMs in clinical applications are discussed. We believe that this review would serve as a valuable resource for guiding further research on the application of manganese nanomaterials in cancer diagnosis and treatment, addressing the current limitations, and proposing future research directions.

Magnetic and injectable Fe-doped liquid metals for controlled movement and photothermal/electromagnetic therapy

As a multifunctional material, gallium-based liquid metal (LM) mixtures with metal particles dispersed in the LM environment display many excellent and intriguing properties. In this study, biomaterials were prepared by mixing Fe particles with LM for easily manageable photothermal or electromagnetic therapy and evaluated. Clinically, the fabricated 5%Fe/LM sample was injectable and radiopaque, which allowed its smooth delivery through a syringe to the target tissues, where it could help achieve clear imaging under CT. Meanwhile, because of the loading of Fe particles, the 5%Fe/LM possessed a magnetic property, implying a high manipulation capability. According to the experiments, the capsule containing 5%Fe/LM when placed in an isolated pig large intestine could move as desired to the designated position through an external magnet. Further, the biosafety and low toxicity of the 5%Fe/LM were confirmed by cytotoxicity tests in vitro, and the temperature changes at the interface between the 5%Fe/LM and intestinal tissue after near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation were determined through theoretical modeling and numerical simulation data analysis. Due to the excellent photothermal and magnetothermal effects of LM, the temperature of the 5%Fe/LM injected into the rabbit abdominal cavity could significantly increase under NIR laser or alternating magnetic field (AMF) administration. As a novel functional biomaterial, the 5%Fe/LM exhibited promising potential for designated position movement and photothermal or magnetothermal therapy in the near future.

A tetrasulfide bond-bridged mesoporous organosilica-based nanoplatform for triple-enhanced chemodynamic therapy combined with chemotherapy and H2S therapy

The high glutathione (GSH) concentration and insufficient H2O2 content in tumor cells strongly constrict the efficacy of Fenton reaction-based chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Despite numerous efforts, it still remains a formidable challenge for achieving satisfactory efficacy using CDT alone. Herein, an intelligent tetrasulfide bond-bridged mesoporous organosilica-based nanoplatform that integrates GSH-depletion, H2S generation, self-supplied H2O2, co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and Fenton reagent Fe2+ is presented for synergistic triple-enhanced CDT/chemotherapy/H2S therapy. Because the tetrasulfide bond is sensitive to GSH, the nanoplatform can effectively consume GSH, leading to ROS accumulation and H2S generation in the GSH-overexpressed tumor microenvironment. Meanwhile, tetrasulfide bond-induced GSH-depletion triggers the degradation of nanoparticles and the release of DOX and Fe2+. Immediately, Fe2+ catalyzes endogenous H2O2 to highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) for CDT, and H2S induces mitochondria injury and causes energy deficiency. Of note, H2S can also decrease the decomposition of H2O2 to augment CDT by downregulating catalase. DOX elicits chemotherapy and promotes H2O2 production to provide a sufficient substrate for enhanced CDT. Importantly, the GSH depletion significantly weakens the scavenging effect on the produced ˙OH, guaranteeing the enhanced and highly efficient CDT. Based on the synergistic effect of triple-augmented CDT, H2S therapy and DOX-mediated chemotherapy, the treatment with this nanoplatform gives rise to a superior antitumor outcome.

Mechanism underlying the effect of MnO2 nanosheets for A549 cell chemodynamic therapy

MnO2 nanosheets (MnO2NSs) were synthesized by one-step method, and MnO2NSs were applied to A549 cell chemodynamic Therapy (CDT). The cytotoxicity, redox ability, and reactive oxygen species production of MnO2NSs have been investigated, and differences in cell metabolism during CDT were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, the metabolites of A549 lung cancer cells affected by MnO2NSs treatment are identified; metabolite differences were identified by PCA, PLS-DA, orthogonal PLS-DA, and other methods; and these differences were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics. We found that A549 cells which were treated by MnO2NSs have 17 different metabolites and 9 metabolic pathways that varied markedly. Owing to their unique composition, structure, and physicochemical properties, MnO2NSs and their composites have become a favored type of nanomaterial used for CDT in cancer therapy. This work provides insights into the mechanism underlying the effects of MnO2NSs on the tumor microenvironment of A549 lung cancer cells, effectively making up for the deficiency of the study on cellular mechanism of CDT-induced apoptosis of cancer cells. It could aid the development of cancer CDT treatment strategies and help improve the use of nanomaterials in the clinical field.

Metabolomics analysis of MnO2 nanosheets CDT for breast cancer cells and mechanism of cytotoxic action

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has received more and more attention as an emerging therapeutic strategy, especially transition metals with Fenton or Fenton-like activity have good effects in CDT research, manganese dioxide nanosheets (MnO2 NSs) and their complexes have become one of the most favored nanomaterials in CDT of tumors. CDT is mainly based on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumor treatment, which have clear chemical properties and produce clear chemical reactions. However, their mechanism of interaction with cells has not been fully elucidated. Here, we performed CDT on mouse breast cancer cells (4T1) based on MnO2 NSs, extracted the metabolites from the 4T1 cells during the treatment, and analyzed the differences in metabolites by using high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Untargeted metabolomics studies were conducted using the relevant data. This study mainly explored the changes in MnO2 NSs on the metabolite profile of 4T1 cells and their potential impact on tumor therapy, in order to determine the mechanism of action of MnO2 NSs in the treatment of breast cancer. The results of the study showed the presence of 11 different metabolites in MnO2 NSs CDT for 4T1 tumor cells, including phosphoserine, sphingine, phosphocholine, and stearoylcarnitine. These findings provide a deeper understanding of breast cancer treatment, and are beneficial for the further research and clinical application of CDT.

Dual-Functional Nanoplatform Based on Bimetallic Metal-Organic Frameworks for Synergistic Starvation and Chemodynamic Therapy

Tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive chemodynamic therapy (CDT) mediated by nanozymes has been extensively studied in oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the low catalytic efficiency due to insufficient H₂O₂ in the TME is still a major challenge for its clinical translation. Herein, we present an antitumor nanoplatform based on a Mn-Co organometallic framework material (MnCoMOF), which shows peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity, loaded with glucose oxidase (GOx@MnCoMOF), demonstrating the ability of H₂O₂ self-supply and H₂O₂ conversion to toxic hydroxyl radicals. The encapsulated GOx efficiently catalyzes glucose into gluconic acid and H₂O₂ at the tumor site, which can cut off the energy supply to inhibit tumor growth and produce a large amount of H₂O₂ and acid to compensate for their lack in the tumor microenvironment. The POD-like activity of MnCoMOF can convert H₂O₂ into hydroxyl radicals and eliminate tumor cells. The nanoplatform exhibits enhanced tumor cell cytotoxicity in a high-glucose medium compared with a low-glucose medium, illustrating sufficient generation of H₂O₂ from glucose by GOx. The in vivo results indicate that GOx@MnCoMOF has excellent antitumor efficacy and can remodel the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment. In conclusion, the GOx@MnCoMOF nanoplatform possesses dual enzymatic activities, i.e., POD-like and glucose oxidase, to achieve improved tumor-suppressive efficiency through synergistic starvation and chemodynamic therapy, thus providing a new strategy for the clinical treatment of oral cancer.

A multifunctional black phosphorus nanosheet-based immunomagnetic bio-interface for heterogeneous circulating tumor cell capture and simultaneous self-identification in gastric cancer patients

A single epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) for circulating tumor cell (CTCs) isolation has been proved to be low in efficiency as it fails to recognize EpCAM-negative CTCs. Meanwhile, the current immunocytochemical (ICC) identification strategy for the captured cells is tedious and time-consuming. To address these issues, we designed a dual-labeled fluorescent immunomagnetic nanoprobe (BP-Fe3O4-AuNR/Apt), by loading magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and gold nanorods (AuNRs) onto black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets and then linking them with Cy3-labeled EpCAM and Texas red-labeled tyrosine protein kinase 7 (PTK7) aptamers, which created a high-performance bio-interface for efficient, heterogeneous CTC capture and rapid self-identification with high accuracy. As few as 5 CTCs could be captured from 1.0 mL PBS, mixed cell solution and lysed blood. What's more, the presence of BP and AuNRs on this capturing interface also allowed us to preliminarily investigate the potential photothermal therapeutic effect of the probe toward CTC elimination. The applicability of the probe was further demonstrated in gastric cancer patients. By detecting the number of CTCs in the blood of gastric cancer patients, the correlations between the CTC number and the disease stage, as well as distant metastasis were systematically explored.

Recent advances in near-infrared-II hollow nanoplatforms for photothermal-based cancer treatment

Near-infrared-II (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) light-triggered photothermal therapy (PTT) has been regarded as a promising candidate for cancer treatment, but PTT alone often fails to achieve satisfactory curative outcomes. Hollow nanoplatforms prove to be attractive in the biomedical field owing to the merits including good biocompatibility, intrinsic physical-chemical nature and unique hollow structures, etc. On one hand, hollow nanoplatforms themselves can be NIR-II photothermal agents (PTAs), the cavities of which are able to carry diverse therapeutic units to realize multi-modal therapies. On the other hand, NIR-II PTAs are capable of decorating on the surface to combine with the functions of components encapsulated inside the hollow nanoplatforms for synergistic cancer treatment. Notably, PTAs generally can serve as good photoacoustic imaging (PAI) contrast agents (CAs), which means such kind of hollow nanoplatforms are also expected to be multifunctional all-in-one nanotheranostics. In this review, the recent advances of NIR-II hollow nanoplatforms for single-modal PTT, dual-modal PTT/photodynamic therapy (PDT), PTT/chemotherapy, PTT/catalytic therapy and PTT/gas therapy as well as multi-modal PTT/chemodynamic therapy (CDT)/chemotherapy, PTT/chemo/gene therapy and PTT/PDT/CDT/starvation therapy (ST)/immunotherapy are summarized for the first time. Before these, the typical synthetic strategies for hollow structures are presented, and lastly, potential challenges and perspectives related to these novel paradigms for future research and clinical translation are discussed.

Manganese-based Prussian blue nanoparticles inhibit tumor proliferation and migration via the MAPK pathway in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest gastrointestinal malignancies. Advances in molecular biology and surgery have significantly improved survival rates for other tumors in recent decades, but clinical outcomes for PC remained relatively unchanged. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and Photothermal therapy (PTT) represent an efficient and relatively safe cancer treatment modality. Here, we synthesized Mn-doped Prussian blue nanoparticles (MnPB NPs) through a simple and mild method, which have a high loading capacity for drugs and excellent CDT/PTT effect. Cell line experiments in vitro and animal experiments in vivo proved the safety of MnPB NPs. We stimulated the PC cells with MnPB NPs and performed transwell migration assays. The migration of PC cells was reduced company with the decrease of two classical proteins: matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Moreover, MnPB NPs induced ferroptosis, which mediated the MAPK pathway and achieved tumor elimination in nude mice. This effective and safe strategy controlled by irradiation represents a promising strategy for pancreatic cancer.