Engineering Microwave-Activatable Nanoenergic Converters with Energy Cascade Structures for On-Demand Microwave...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Microwave dynamic therapy (MDT) shows promise for cancer treatment but faces limitations in microwave energy density and sensitizer absorption.
• Conventional microwave sensitizers exhibit suboptimal absorption capacity, hindering the therapeutic efficacy of MDT.
• Addressing these limitations is crucial for advancing MDT in clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer novel nanoenergic converters (Ti3C2@CoFeMOF@CaO2, MMC-NCs) to enhance microwave absorption and overcome energy density limitations in MDT.
• To investigate the mechanism of enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation mediated by MMC-NCs under microwave irradiation.
• To validate the efficacy of MMC-NCs for combined antitumor and antibacterial applications in a preclinical model.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication and characterization of Ti3C2@CoFeMOF@CaO2 nanoenergic converters (MMC-NCs).
• Evaluation of microwave absorption properties and ROS generation under microwave irradiation.
• In vitro and in vivo studies using 4T1 tumor-bearing mice to assess antitumor and antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus.

Main Results:

• MMC-NCs demonstrated enhanced microwave absorption capacity through improved dielectric loss.
• A coupled energy cascade strategy involving thermoelectric effect and electron-mediated ROS production was elucidated.
• In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed significant inhibition of tumor growth and elimination of S. aureus by MMC-NCs.

Conclusions:

• Engineered MMC-NCs effectively optimize microwave energy utilization and overcome intrinsic energy density limitations for enhanced MDT.
• The developed nanoenergic converters offer a promising strategy for improving the efficacy of MDT in treating breast cancer and associated bacterial infections.
• This work represents a significant advancement in the development of nanomaterials for advanced therapeutic applications in oncology and infectious diseases.