Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026
10:57
Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
19.1K
Nanocatalytic Tumor Therapy by Single-Atom Catalysts
Minfeng Huo1,2, Liying Wang1,2,3, Youwei Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200050 , P.R. China.
ACS Nano
|February 13, 2019
Summary
PEGylated single-atom iron nanocatalysts trigger Fenton reactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME). This generates hydroxyl radicals, inducing tumor cell apoptosis and ferroptosis for effective cancer suppression with good biosafety.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Nanotechnology
- Catalysis
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Localized catalytic reactions in the tumor microenvironment (TME) offer specific cancer therapy.
- Biomedical nanocatalysts are crucial for effective and safe TME-targeted therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate PEGylated single-atom Fe-containing nanocatalysts (PSAF NCs) for tumor-specific Fenton reactions.
- To investigate the mechanism of nanocatalyst-mediated radical generation in the acidic TME.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of PEGylated single-atom Fe-containing nanocatalysts (PSAF NCs).
- Utilizing density functional theory (DFT) to elucidate the Fenton reaction mechanism.
- In vitro and in vivo assessments of nanocatalyst efficacy and biosafety.
Main Results:
- PSAF NCs effectively catalyzed the Fenton reaction in the acidic TME, generating hydroxyl radicals (•OH).
- DFT calculations confirmed a proton-mediated H2O2-homolytic pathway for heterogeneous Fenton catalysis.
- Generated radicals induced both tumor cell apoptosis and ferroptosis, leading to significant tumor suppression.
- PSAF NCs demonstrated favorable biodegradability and biocompatibility, ensuring in vivo and in vitro biosafety.
Conclusions:
- PSAF NCs are highly effective biomedical nanocatalysts for TME-specific cancer therapy.
- The synergistic induction of apoptosis and ferroptosis by PSAF NCs offers a promising therapeutic strategy.
- The developed nanocatalysts exhibit excellent biosafety profiles for potential clinical translation.
Related Concept Videos
01:33Atomic Structure
209.1K
Overview
209.1K
01:52Atomic Mass
70.1K
Atoms — and the protons, neutrons, and electrons that compose them — are extremely small. For example, a carbon atom weighs less than 2 × 10−23 g. When describing the properties of tiny objects such as atoms, we use appropriately small units of measure, such as the atomic mass unit (amu). The amu was originally defined based on hydrogen, the lightest element, then later in terms of oxygen. Since 1961, it has been defined with regard to the most abundant isotope of carbon, atoms of which...
70.1K
02:44Atomic Orbitals
43.8K
An atomic orbital represents the three-dimensional regions in an atom where an electron has the highest probability to reside. The radial distribution function indicates the total probability of finding an electron within the thin shell at a distance r from the nucleus. The atomic orbitals have distinct shapes which are determined by l, the angular momentum quantum number. The orbitals are often drawn with a boundary surface, enclosing densest regions of the cloud.
43.8K
03:24Hybridization of Atomic Orbitals I
66.9K
The mathematical expression known as the wave function, ψ, contains information about each orbital and the wavelike properties of electrons in an isolated atom. When atoms are bound together in a molecule, the wave functions combine to produce new mathematical descriptions that have different shapes. This process of combining the wave functions for atomic orbitals is called hybridization and is mathematically accomplished by the linear combination of atomic orbitals. The new orbitals that...
66.9K
03:21The Energies of Atomic Orbitals
30.1K
In an atom, the negatively charged electrons are attracted to the positively charged nucleus. In a multielectron atom, electron-electron repulsions are also observed. The attractive and repulsive forces are dependent on the distance between the particles, as well as the sign and magnitude of the charges on the individual particles. When the charges on the particles are opposite, they attract each other. If both particles have the same charge, they repel each other.
30.1K
02:59The Atomic Theory of Matter
127.8K
The earliest recorded discussion of the basic structure of matter comes from ancient Greek philosophers. Leucippus and Democritus argued that all matter was composed of small, finite particles that they called atomos, meaning “indivisible.” Later, Aristotle and others came to the conclusion that matter consisted of various combinations of the four “elements” — fire, earth, air, and water — and could be infinitely divided. Interestingly, these philosophers...
127.8K