posted on 2024-01-17, 13:08authored byMengmeng Hou, Minchao Liu, Hongyue Yu, Yufang Kou, Jia Jia, Qiaoyu Zhou, Fan Zhang, Dongyuan Zhao, Tiancong Zhao, Xiaomin Li
Despite its effectiveness in eliminating cancer cells,
ferroptosis
is hindered by the high natural antioxidant glutathione (GSH) levels
in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, we developed a spatially asymmetric
nanoparticle, Fe3O4@DMS&PDA@MnO2-SRF, for enhanced ferroptosis. It consists of two subunits: Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with dendritic mesoporous
silica (DMS) and PDA@MnO2 (PDA: polydopamine) loaded with
sorafenib (SRF). The spatial isolation of the Fe3O4@DMS and PDA@MnO2-SRF subunits enhances the synergistic
effect between the GSH-scavengers and ferroptosis-related components.
First, the increased exposure of the Fe3O4 subunit
enhances the Fenton reaction, leading to increased production of reactive
oxygen species. Furthermore, the PDA@MnO2-SRF subunit effectively
depletes GSH, thereby inducing ferroptosis by the inactivation of
glutathione-dependent peroxidases 4. Moreover, the SRF blocks Xc– transport in tumor cells, augmenting GSH depletion
capabilities. The dual GSH depletion of the Fe3O4@DMS&PDA@MnO2-SRF significantly weakens the antioxidative
system, boosting the chemodynamic performance and leading to increased
ferroptosis of tumor cells.