Therapeutic Metal Ions: Engineering Biomaterials for Multimodal Disease Treatment

Metal ions possess unique catalytic, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial properties, demonstrating multimodal therapeutic potential in chemodynamic therapy, tumor immunotherapy, tissue regeneration, and anti-infective applications. This review systematically outlines metal-based biomaterials, including metal-organic frameworks, nanoparticles, mixed matrix membranes, and protein-inspired metal polymers, as well as design strategies such as multi-metal synergy, dynamic responsiveness, biomimetic structures, and three-dimensional printing. Drawing on the principles of coordination chemistry, electron transfer, and signaling pathway interference, we elucidate the core mechanisms by which metal ions regulate cell death, immune responses, and tissue regeneration. Nevertheless, approximately 85% of current research remains at or below the cellular level, with in vivo studies accounting for less than 85%, and human clinical studies are completely lacking. Most metal ions have a narrow therapeutic window; non-specific release may induce oxidative stress and organ toxicity, and the long-term in vivo behavior of engineered carriers remains poorly understood. Key translational challenges include the absence of standardized guidelines for evaluating release kinetics and toxicology, difficulties in scalable manufacturing and batch-to-batch consistency, and unpredictable interactions with the host's endogenous metal pool and immune system. In summary, metal-based biomaterials exhibit broad application value and unique therapeutic potential in the fields of antitumor therapy, anti-infection, tissue repair, and theranostics. Although current readiness for clinical translation remains at an early stage, the translational potential of these materials warrants further investigation. Future efforts should focus on systematic in vivo validation and optimization of material design to facilitate progression toward clinical application.