Light-Driven Photosensitive Materials Induce Lysosome Escape for Tumor Treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Therapy

Background:

• Lysosomes, crucial for intracellular degradation, often trap cancer drugs, reducing therapeutic effectiveness.
• This lysosomal drug sequestration presents a significant challenge in developing effective cancer treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review photosensitive materials that induce lysosomal rupture for enhanced cancer therapy.
• To explore how these materials improve drug delivery and activate cell death pathways.

Main Methods:

• Summarizing research on nanomaterials and small molecules that target lysosomes.
• Analyzing photosensitive materials that modulate lysosomal membrane permeability upon light irradiation.

Main Results:

• Photosensitive materials can trigger apoptosis, necrosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis via photodynamic or photothermal therapy.
• Lysosomal rupture enhances drug escape from lysosomes and activates cell death cascades.

Conclusions:

• Lysosome-targeting photosensitive materials represent a promising strategy for overcoming drug resistance in cancer.
• This approach offers theoretical insights for optimizing tumor drug delivery and achieving precise, lysosome-mediated cancer cell death.