Targeted Europium Chelation: A Strategy for Intervening Tumor Extracellular Matrix.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• The tumor microenvironment's extracellular matrix (ECM) hinders drug delivery and immune surveillance.
• Current ECM-clearing strategies for cancer treatment present significant challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel europium metal-organic nanowires (TFE) for targeting sialic acid (SA) in the ECM.
• To investigate the potential of TFE in disrupting ECM integrity and enhancing cancer theranostics.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized europium metal-organic nanowires (TFE) via coordination reaction of thiodiacetic acid (TDA) with Fe3+ and Eu3+.
• Administered TFE precursors directly into tumor sites, observing gel formation and ECM interaction.
• Evaluated TFE's efficacy in encapsulating cancer cells, disrupting ECM, and stimulating immune responses and ferroptosis.

Main Results:

• TFE precursors formed a gel-like matrix in tumors within approximately 1 minute.
• Europium ions (Eu3+) released from TFE chelate to sialic acid (SA) in the ECM.
• TFE effectively encapsulated cancer cells, disrupted ECM integrity, and promoted immune recognition and ferroptosis.

Conclusions:

• The developed TFE nanowires show promise for ECM-targeted cancer therapy.
• TFE exhibits dual diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities when loaded with fluorescent drugs like doxorubicin (DOX).
• This ECM-targeting approach offers a novel strategy for advanced cancer theranostics.