A biomimetic nanoreactor for synergistic chemiexcited photodynamic therapy and starvation therapy against tumor metastasis

TLDR

Photodynamic therapy is ineffective against deeply seated metastatic tumors because excitation light cannot penetrate sufficiently. The authors developed a biomimetic nanoreactor to synergistically combine chemiexcited photodynamic and starvation therapy for treating tumor metastasis. The nanoreactor comprises hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with photosensitizers and glucose oxidase, coated with cancer cell membranes for homologous adhesion and immune evasion, and generates singlet oxygen through chemical excitation while converting glucose to hydrogen peroxide. This system blocks nutrient supply, produces hydrogen peroxide to amplify photodynamic therapy, and achieves potent antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating strong potential for metastatic cancer treatment.

Abstract

Abstract Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is ineffective against deeply seated metastatic tumors due to poor penetration of the excitation light. Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanoreactor (bio-NR) to achieve synergistic chemiexcited photodynamic-starvation therapy against tumor metastasis. Photosensitizers on the hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) are excited by chemical energy in situ of the deep metastatic tumor to generate singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) for PDT, and glucose oxidase (GOx) catalyzes glucose into hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). Remarkably, this process not only blocks the nutrient supply for starvation therapy but also provides H 2 O 2 to synergistically enhance PDT. Cancer cell membrane coating endows the nanoparticle with biological properties of homologous adhesion and immune escape. Thus, bio-NRs can effectively convert the glucose into 1 O 2 in metastatic tumors. The excellent therapeutic effects of bio-NRs in vitro and in vivo indicate their great potential for cancer metastasis therapy.