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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
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Optimization of Radiochemical Reactions using Droplet Arrays
Published on: February 12, 2021
Doping Engineering Inspired Calcium Fluoride Nanozymes With Multifunctional Oxidative Storm for Enhanced
Jun Liu1, Ruixiang Zhang1, Wubin Lv1
1Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology, College of Material Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Ministry of Education, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 27, 2026
Summary
A novel nanozyme (CLTC@HA) enhances radio-catalytic therapy by improving energy conversion and generating reactive oxygen species. This approach overcomes tumor hypoxia and radio-resistance, achieving significant tumor growth inhibition.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Oncology
Background:
- Radiotherapy, especially radio-catalytic therapy, shows promise for cancer treatment but faces limitations like low x-ray energy conversion, insufficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and tumor hypoxia-induced radio-resistance.
- Developing advanced nanomaterials is crucial to overcome these challenges and enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a multifunctional nanozyme (CLTC@HA) for enhanced radio-catalytic therapy by addressing energy conversion efficiency and tumor microenvironment issues.
- To investigate the synergistic effects of Cu/Lu/Tb co-doping on CaF2 nanozyme properties and anti-tumor efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized spherical Cu/Lu/Tb co-doped CaF2 nanozyme coated with hyaluronic acid (CLTC@HA).
- Investigated the nanozyme's energy conversion efficiency, ROS generation, and catalytic activities (peroxidase-like activity, Cu-mediated redox cycle).
- Evaluated the nanozyme's ability to deplete glutathione and reverse hypoxic radio-resistance in vitro and in vivo.
- Assessed the anti-tumor efficacy and T1-weighted imaging capabilities of CLTC@HA.
Main Results:
- CLTC@HA demonstrated highly efficient energy conversion and enhanced radio-sensitization through doping-engineered crystal lattice modulation.
- The nanozyme exhibited multi-catalytic activities, including peroxidase-like action and a Cu+/Cu2+ redox cycle, which depleted glutathione and promoted hydroxyl radical production.
- CLTC@HA effectively reversed hypoxic radio-resistance, leading to superior anti-tumor efficacy with a 99.1% tumor growth inhibition rate in the optimal group.
- The nanozyme also showed prominent T1-weighted imaging capabilities due to its high-Z elements.
Conclusions:
- The developed CLTC@HA nanozyme offers a promising one-component platform for synergistic radio-catalytic therapy and preclinical imaging.
- This approach effectively overcomes key limitations of conventional radiotherapy, presenting a strategy for advanced cancer treatment.
- The study highlights the potential of doping engineering in designing multifunctional nanozymes for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
