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Liu F, Yang T, Chang X, Chen L, Cheng C, Peng X, Liu H, Zhang Y, Chen X. Intelligent gold nanocluster for effective treatment of malignant tumor via tumor-specific photothermal-chemodynamic therapy with AIE guidance. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwae113. [PMID: 38698903 PMCID: PMC11065357 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Precise and efficient therapy of malignant tumors is always a challenge. Herein, gold nanoclusters co-modified by aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) molecules, copper ion chelator (acylthiourea) and tumor-targeting agent (folic acid) were fabricated to perform AIE-guided and tumor-specific synergistic therapy with great spatio-temporal controllability for the targeted elimination and metastasis inhibition of malignant tumors. During therapy, the functional gold nanoclusters (AuNTF) would rapidly accumulate in the tumor tissue due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect as well as folic acid-mediated tumor targeting, which was followed by endocytosis by tumor cells. After that, the overexpressed copper ions in the tumor cells would trigger the aggregation of these intracellular AuNTF via a chelation process that not only generated the photothermal agent in situ to perform the tumor-specific photothermal therapy damaging the primary tumor, but also led to the copper deficiency of tumor cells to inhibit its metastasis. Moreover, the copper ions were reduced to cuprous ions along with the chelation, which further catalysed the excess H2O2 in the tumor cells to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, resulting in additional chemodynamic therapy for enhanced antitumor efficiency. The aggregation of AuNTF also activated the AIE molecules to present fluorescence, which not only imaged the therapeutic area for real-time monitoring of this tumor-specific synergistic therapy, but also allowed us to perform near-infrared radiation at the correct time point and location to achieve optimal photothermal therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo results revealed the strong tumor elimination, effective metastasis inhibition and high survival rate of tumor-bearing mice after treatment using the AuNTF nanoclusters, indicating that this AIE-guided and tumor-specific synergistic strategy could offer a promising approach for tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Tianfeng Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaowei Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiuhong Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Haihu Liu
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
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Liu J, Yang T, Zhang H, Weng L, Peng X, Liu T, Cheng C, Zhang Y, Chen X. Intelligent nanoreactor coupling tumor microenvironment manipulation and H 2O 2-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy for accurate treatment of primary and metastatic tumors. Bioact Mater 2024; 34:354-365. [PMID: 38269307 PMCID: PMC10806208 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME), as the "soil" of tumor growth and metastasis, exhibits significant differences from normal physiological conditions. However, how to manipulate the distinctions to achieve the accurate therapy of primary and metastatic tumors is still a challenge. Herein, an innovative nanoreactor (AH@MBTF) is developed to utilize the apparent differences (copper concentration and H2O2 level) between tumor cells and normal cells to eliminate primary tumor based on H2O2-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy and suppress metastatic tumor through copper complexation. This nanoreactor is constructed using functionalized MSN incorporating benzoyl thiourea (BTU), triphenylphosphine (TPP), and folic acid (FA), while being co-loaded with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and its substrate ABTS. During therapy, the BTU moieties on AH@MBTF could capture excessive copper (highly correlated with tumor metastasis), presenting exceptional anti-metastasis activity. Simultaneously, the complexation between BTU and copper triggers the formation of cuprous ions, which further react with H2O2 to generate cytotoxic hydroxyl radical (•OH), inhibiting tumor growth via chemodynamic therapy. Additionally, the stepwise targeting of FA and TPP guides AH@MBTF to accurately accumulate in tumor mitochondria, containing abnormally high levels of H2O2. As a catalyst, HRP mediates the oxidation reaction between ABTS and H2O2 to yield activated ABTS•+. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, the activated ABTS•+ performs tumor-specific photothermal therapy, achieving the ablation of primary tumor by raising the tissue temperature. Collectively, this intelligent nanoreactor possesses profound potential in inhibiting tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China
| | - Tianfeng Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China
| | - Handan Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China
| | - Lin Weng
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China
| | - Xiuhong Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China
| | - Tao Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China
- National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Biodiagnosis and Biotherapy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710049, China
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