Self-Adaptive Single-Atom Catalyst Boosting Selective Ferroptosis in Tumor Cells

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Ferroptosis, a regulated cell death, is a promising cancer therapy strategy.
• Current ferroptosis inducers face challenges like low activity and poor selectivity.
• Targeted induction of ferroptosis in cancer cells remains a significant hurdle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and selective ferroptosis-inducing platform for cancer therapy.
• To engineer single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) with a self-adaptive DNA modulator.
• To enhance ROS generation and glutathione (GSH) consumption in tumor cells.

Main Methods:

• Engineering DNA modulators onto single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes).
• Investigating the intensified ROS-generating activity of the modified SAzymes.
• Assessing the on-demand GSH-consuming ability within tumor cells.
• Evaluating the self-adaptive ferroptosis platform in colon and breast cancer models.

Main Results:

• The engineered SAzymes demonstrated intensified ROS-generating activity.
• The platform exhibited on-demand glutathione (GSH) consumption in tumor cells.
• Selective and safe ferroptosis was accelerated in cancer cells.
• The self-adaptive antitumor response was validated in colon and breast cancer models.

Conclusions:

• The developed self-adaptive ferroptosis platform offers enhanced efficacy and selectivity.
• DNA-modulated SAzymes show potential for targeted cancer therapy.
• This approach advances the development of safer and more effective ferroptosis-based cancer treatments.