Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland; The Military Medical Training Center, 6-Sierpnia 92, 90-646, Lodz, Poland.
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland.
Eur J Med Chem. 2022 Aug 5;238:114481. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114481. Epub 2022 May 20.
Metallofullerenols (MFs) are functionalized endohedral fullerenes connecting at least three levels of organization of matter: atomic, molecular, and supramolecular, resulting in their unique activity at the nanoscale. Biomedical applications of MFs started from gadolinium-containing contrasting agents, but today their potential medical applications go far beyond diagnostics and magnetic resonance imaging. In many cases, preclinical studies have shown a great therapeutic value of MFs, and here we provide an overview of interactions of MFs with high-energy radiation and with reactive oxygen species generated during radiation as a ground for potential applications in modern therapy of cancer patients. We also present the current knowledge on interactions of MFs with proteins and with other components of cells and tissues. Due to their antioxidant properties, as well as their ability to regulate the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, angiogenesis, and stimulation of the immune response, MFs can contribute to inhibition of tumor growth and protection of normal cells. MFs with enclosed gadolinium act as inhibitors of tumor growth in targeted therapy along with imaging techniques, but we hope that the data gathered in this review will help to accelerate further progress in the implementation of MFs, also the ones containing rare earth metals other than gadolinium, in a broad range of bioapplications covering not only diagnostics and bioimaging but also radiation therapy and cancer treatment by not-cytotoxic agents.
金属富勒醇（MFs）是功能化的笼状富勒烯，连接着至少三个层次的物质组织：原子、分子和超分子，从而在纳米尺度上具有独特的活性。MFs 的生物医学应用始于含钆的对比剂，但如今，其潜在的医学应用远不止于诊断和磁共振成像。在许多情况下，临床前研究已经表明 MFs 具有很大的治疗价值，在这里我们提供了 MFs 与高能辐射以及辐射过程中产生的活性氧相互作用的概述，作为其在现代癌症患者治疗中潜在应用的基础。我们还介绍了 MFs 与蛋白质以及细胞和组织的其他成分相互作用的最新知识。由于其抗氧化特性以及调节参与细胞凋亡、血管生成和免疫反应刺激的基因表达的能力，MFs 可以有助于抑制肿瘤生长和保护正常细胞。含有封闭钆的 MFs 与成像技术一起作为靶向治疗中的肿瘤生长抑制剂，但我们希望本综述中收集的数据将有助于加速进一步推进 MFs 的实施，包括除钆以外的其他稀土金属的 MFs，在广泛的生物应用中，涵盖不仅是诊断和生物成像，还有辐射治疗和非细胞毒性药物的癌症治疗。
