Ultrathin Niobium Carbide MXenzyme for Remedying Hypertension by Antioxidative and Neuroprotective Actions

Abstract

Hypertension, as a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, is associated with oxidative stress and impairment of endogenous antioxidant mechanisms, but there is still a tremendous knowledge gap between hypertension treatment and nanomedicines. Herein, we report a specific nanozyme based on ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) niobium carbide (Nb₂ C) MXene, termed Nb₂ C MXenzyme, to fight against hypertension by achieving highly efficient reactive oxygen species elimination and inflammatory factors inhibition. The biocompatible Nb₂ C MXenzyme displays multiple enzyme-mimicking activities, involving superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and peroxidase, inducing cytoprotective effects by resisting oxidative stress, thereby alleviating inflammatory response and reducing blood pressure, which is systematically demonstrated in a stress-induced hypertension rat model. This strategy not only opens new opportunities for nanozymes to treat hypertension but also expands the potential biomedical applications of 2D MXene nanosystems.