NIR-switchable local hydrogen generation by tandem bimetallic MOFs nanocomposites for enhanced chemodynamic therapy

The inadequate quantity of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in cancer cells promptly results in the constrained success of chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Significant efforts made throughout the years; nevertheless, researchers are still facing the great challenge of designing a CDT agent and securing H₂O₂ supply within the tumor cell. In this study, taking advantage of H₂O₂ level maintenance mechanism in cancer cells, a nanozyme-based bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) tandem reactor is fabricated to elevate intracellular H₂O₂ levels, thereby enhancing CDT. In addition, under near-infrared excitation, the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) loaded into the MOFs can perform photocatalysis and generate hydrogen, which increases cellular susceptibility to radicals induced from H₂O₂, inhibits cancer cell energy, causes DNA damages and induces tumor cell apoptosis, thus improving CDT therapeutic efficacy synergistically. The proposed nanozyme-based bimetallic MOFs-mediated CDT and UCNPs-mediated hydrogen therapy act as combined therapy with high efficacy and low toxicity.