Radionuclide Labeled Nanocarrier for Imaging Guided Combined Radionuclide, Sonodynamic, and Photothermal Therapy of Pancreatic Tumours

Novel 131-iodine labeled and ultrasound-responsive nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species controlled released nanoplatform for synergistic sonodynamic/nitric oxide/chemodynamic/radionuclide therapy

Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) embody excellent potential in cancer therapy. However, as a small molecule, their targeted delivery and precise, controllable release are urgently needed to achieve accurate cancer therapy. In this paper, a novel US-responsive bifunctional molecule (SD) and hyaluronic acid-modified MnO2 nanocarrier was developed, and a US-responsive NO and ROS controlled released nanoplatform was constructed. US can trigger SD to release ROS and NO simultaneously at the tumor site. Thus, SD served as acoustic sensitizer for sonodynamic therapy and NO donor for gas therapy. In the tumor microenvironment, the MnO2 nanocarrier can effectively deplete the highly expressed GSH, and the released Mn2+ can make H2O2 to produce .OH by Fenton-like reaction, which exhibited a strong chemodynamic effect. The high concentration of ROS and NO in cancer cell can induce cancer cell apoptosis ultimately. In addition, toxic ONOO-, which was generated by the reaction of NO and ROS, can effectively cause mitochondrial dysfunction, which induced the apoptosis of tumor cells. The 131I was labeled on the nanoplatform, which exhibited internal radiation therapy for tumor therapy. In -vitro and -vivo experiments showed that the nanoplatform has enhanced biocompatibility, and efficient anti-tumor potential, and it achieves synergistic sonodynamic/NO/chemodynamic/radionuclide therapy for cancer.

From biomaterials to biotherapy: cuttlefish ink with protoporphyrin IX nanoconjugates for synergistic sonodynamic-photothermal therapy

Biologically produced nanomaterials capable of therapeutic purposes have received increasing interest in tumor therapy because of their intrinsic biocompatibility. In this study, we made cuttlefish ink (extracted from cuttlefish) and protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) nanoconjugates (CIPs) where PpIX was an endogenous organic compound. In the case of CIPs, PpIX could be triggered by ultrasound (US) for sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and the cuttlefish ink could be excited by a near-infrared laser for photothermal therapy (PTT). Thereafter, tumor growth was greatly inhibited through synergistic SDT-PTT in comparison to single SDT or PTT. In addition, in vivo administration of CIPs showed no noticeable side effects for mouse blood and chief organs, providing an effective strategy for developing biologically produced biomaterials and using them for biotherapy.

Biocompatible Polymer-Grafted TiO2 Nanoparticle Sonosensitizers Prepared Using Phosphonic Acid-Functionalized RAFT Agent

Sonodynamic therapy is widely used in clinical studies including cancer therapy. The development of sonosensitizers is important for enhancing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under sonication. Herein, we have developed poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC)-modified TiO₂ nanoparticles as new biocompatible sonosensitizers with high colloidal stability under physiological conditions. To fabricate biocompatible sonosensitizers, a grafting-to approach was adopted with phosphonic-acid-functionalized PMPC, which was prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) using a newly designed water-soluble RAFT agent possessing a phosphonic acid group. The phosphonic acid group can conjugate with the OH groups on the TiO₂ nanoparticles. We have clarified that the phosphonic acid end group is more crucial for creating colloidally stable PMPC-modified TiO₂ nanoparticles under physiological conditions than carboxylic-acid-functionalized PMPC-modified ones. Furthermore, the enhanced generation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂), an ROS, in the presence of PMPC-modified TiO₂ nanoparticles was confirmed using a ¹O₂-reactive fluorescent probe. We believe that the PMPC-modified TiO₂ nanoparticles prepared herein have potential utility as novel biocompatible sonosensitizers for cancer therapy.