Nanozyme-enabled cancer theranostics: bridging enzyme mimicry and material intelligence

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Nanozymes are nanomaterials with enzyme-like catalytic activities.
• They combine nanotechnology advantages with enzymatic functions for enhanced biological reactions.
• Nanozymes show promise in overcoming limitations of natural enzymes in biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the catalytic activities and physicochemical properties of nanozymes.
• To discuss the antitumor mechanisms and multimodal cancer therapy roles of nanozymes.
• To explore the potential of nanozymes as cancer diagnostic tools and their clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of nanozymes in cancer theranostics.
• Analysis of catalytic activities and properties of nanozymes.
• Discussion of antitumor mechanisms, therapeutic roles, and diagnostic applications.

Main Results:

• Nanozymes exhibit dual functionality for therapeutic intervention and diagnostic precision.
• They possess specific antitumor mechanisms and are key in multimodal cancer therapies.
• Nanozymes demonstrate significant potential as cancer diagnostic tools.

Conclusions:

• Nanozymes represent a promising class of materials for cancer theranostics.
• Further research into design rationales and overcoming challenges is crucial for clinical translation.
• Nanozymes offer a pathway to enhanced cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.