Polypeptide-Based Theranostics with Tumor-Microenvironment-Activatable Cascade Reaction for Chemo-ferroptosis...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Polymer-based nanocarriers offer precise drug delivery for cancer treatment.
• Theranostics combine diagnosis and therapy for improved patient outcomes.
• Developing stimuli-responsive systems for targeted cancer therapy is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate polypeptide vehicles encapsulating cisplatin and Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Pt&Fe3O4@PP) for theranostic applications.
• To investigate the potential of Pt&Fe3O4@PP in MRI-guided chemo-ferroptosis combination therapy.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the developed theranostic system in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polypeptide vehicles with controlled loading of cisplatin and Fe3O4 nanoparticles.
• Utilizing the tumor microenvironment to trigger drug and ion release for cascade reactions.
• Employing T2-weighted MRI for tumor imaging and monitoring.
• In vitro and in vivo studies to assess anticancer efficacy and systemic toxicity.

Main Results:

• Pt&Fe3O4@PP successfully delivered cisplatin and induced ferroptosis via a cascade reaction.
• The system enabled T2-weighted MRI for tumor visualization.
• Efficient inhibition of cancer cell growth was observed both in vitro and in vivo.
• The polypeptide vehicles significantly reduced systemic toxicity compared to free cisplatin.

Conclusions:

• Polypeptide-based theranostics with tumor-microenvironment-activatable cascade reactions show great potential for cancer therapy.
• The developed Pt&Fe3O4@PP system offers a promising approach for MRI-guided chemo-ferroptosis combination therapy.
• This strategy enhances drug delivery efficacy and minimizes side effects, paving the way for advanced biomedical applications.