Nanomaterials-Induced Pyroptosis: Advancing Novel Therapeutic Pathways in Nanomedicine

Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death characterized by cell lysis and inflammation, has significant implications for disease treatment. Nanomaterials (NMs), with their unique physicochemical properties, can precisely modulate pyroptosis, offering novel and intelligent therapeutic strategies for cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic inflammatory conditions with targeted activation and reduced systemic toxicity. This review explores the mechanisms by which NMs regulate pyroptosis, comparing molecular and NM inducers, and examines the role of intrinsic properties such as size, shape, surface charge, and chemical composition in these processes. It also discusses the balance between the beneficial and adverse effects of NM-induced pyroptosis, highlighting targeted delivery systems, surface modifications, and controlled activation as strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy and intelligence while minimizing toxicity. Notably, mRNA-based nanomedicine can be precisely and intelligently designed to activate pyroptosis, achieving desired therapeutic outcomes tailored to the evolving microenvironment of diseases. By understanding these interactions, the therapeutic potential of NMs can be harnessed to develop innovative treatments and manage pyroptosis-associated diseases safely, effectively, and intelligently. This review also highlights their transformative potential in clinical applications.