Nanozymes for ferroptosis-based cancer theranostics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death, offers a novel strategy against therapy-resistant cancers.
• Nanozymes, nanomaterials with enzyme-like functions, show promise in cancer theranostics.
• Conventional therapies often face resistance, necessitating alternative treatment modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a systematic overview of nanozymes interfacing with ferroptosis for cancer theranostics.
• To explore how nanozyme redox and non-redox activities target ferroptosis pathways.
• To highlight engineering strategies and theranostic applications of nanozymes in precision oncology.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on nanozymes and ferroptosis.
• Analysis of nanozyme catalytic mechanisms (redox and non-redox).
• Summary of engineering strategies for enhanced nanozyme performance.
• Discussion of theranostic implementations and combination therapies.

Main Results:

• Nanozymes can induce ferroptosis via ROS generation and lipid peroxidation.
• Non-redox nanozyme activities modulate the tumor microenvironment and signaling.
• Engineering strategies improve nanozyme specificity, targeting, and safety.
• Multimodal imaging and combination therapies enhance theranostic outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Nanozymes offer a versatile platform for ferroptosis-based cancer theranostics.
• Rational design and engineering are crucial for clinical translation.
• Future directions include AI-guided design and personalized, adaptive nanozyme systems.