Improved Reactive Oxygen Species Generation by Chiral Co₃ O₄ Supraparticles under Electromagnetic Fields

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomaterials
• Biophysics

Background:

• Thromboembolism treatment often involves thrombolytic drugs that activate fibrinolytic protease.
• Current thrombolytic therapies carry significant side-effects, necessitating alternative approaches.
• Fibrinolysis, the breakdown of fibrin, is key to dissolving blood clots.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, effective, and safe method for treating thromboembolism.
• To investigate the potential of chiral cobalt oxide supraparticles (SPs) for clot lysis.
• To explore the mechanism underlying the thrombolytic activity of these supraparticles.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of chiral cobalt oxide supraparticles (Co3O4 SPs) with paramagnetic properties.
• In vitro assessment of d-SPs and l-SPs for blood clot degradation under an electromagnetic field (MF).
• In vivo evaluation of d-SPs in a thrombosis mouse model and mechanistic studies involving reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Main Results:

• Chiral Co3O4 SPs demonstrated paramagnetic performance and a g-factor of up to 0.02 at 550 nm.
• In vitro, d-SPs degraded blood clots within 8 hours under MF, showing superior efficacy compared to l-SPs.
• In vivo, d-SPs significantly enhanced the survival rate of thrombosis model mice by over 70% within 25 days.
• ROS levels produced by d-SPs under MF were 1.5 times higher than l-SPs, suggesting chiral-induced spin selectivity effects.

Conclusions:

• Chiral Co3O4 SPs represent a promising new therapeutic strategy for thromboembolism, offering effective clot lysis.
• The observed enhanced thrombolytic activity is potentially linked to MF-induced ROS generation via chiral-induced spin selectivity.
• This approach offers a potential alternative to conventional thrombolytic drugs, with improved safety and efficacy profiles.