Core-Shell Photosensitizer-Fenton Heterostructure Boosts Tumor Inhibition for Synergistic Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing effective cancer therapies remains a critical challenge.
• Multimodal nanoplatforms offer promising strategies for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
• Targeted drug delivery and synergistic therapeutic effects are key areas of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a novel photosensitizer@Fenton reagent core-shell heterostructure for cancer therapy.
• To investigate the synergistic therapeutic effects of photothermal and chemodynamic therapy.
• To evaluate the efficacy and specificity of the nanoplatform against 4T1 cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a H-MnO2@Gox/IR780@MPDA@FePi heterostructure via self-assembly.
• Utilizing glucose oxidase (Gox) for bio-recycling and Fenton reagent activation.
• Employing IR780 and mesoporous dopamine (MPDA) as photothermal reagents.
• Introducing iron phosphate (FePi) as Fenton reagents for hydroxyl radical generation.
• Assessing in vitro cytotoxicity against 4T1 cells and HL-7702 cells under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation.

Main Results:

• The fabricated heterostructure demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on 4T1 cells (86.79% inhibition).
• Near-infrared (NIR) irradiation accelerated Fenton catalysis, enhancing hydroxyl radical production.
• The nanoplatform showed minimal impact on normal HL-7702 cells, indicating good specificity.
• In vitro tests confirmed significant inhibition of 4T1 cells (13.21%) by the nanoplatform.

Conclusions:

• The developed multimodal nanoplatform effectively integrates oxygen generation, starvation therapy, photothermal therapy, and chemodynamic therapy.
• This approach shows high potential for improving the curative effect on tumors.
• The study highlights the promise of advanced nanomaterials in cancer treatment.