Wei Qinglin, Song Xuejiao, Wang Xiaorui, Chen Yawen, Wang Wenjun, Sun Ping, Dong Xiaochen
Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), Nanjing 211816, China.
Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), School of Flexible Electronics (Future Technologies), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), Nanjing 211816, China.
Acta Biomater. 2025 Aug;202:450-462. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2025.06.029. Epub 2025 Jun 17.
Based on their distinctive manners of driving cell death, cuproptosis and pyroptosis exhibit significant potential in overcoming the apoptosis resistance of cancer cells. Nevertheless, limited copper concentrations and complex tumor microenvironment (TME) severely constrain the therapeutic efficacy. Herein, DSPE-PEG modified copper-nitrogen-doped carbon-based photocatalysts (Cu-NC@PEG) are developed as photo-activated reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification systems to trigger pyroptosis and cuproptosis in a synergistic manner. Cu-NC@PEG enriches in tumor cells and generates a large amount of superoxide anions under the second near-infrared region (NIR-II) laser irradiation, followed by further induction of cell pyroptosis through caspase-mediated cleavage of Gasdermin D (GSDMD). The copper ions released from Cu-NC@PEG in the acidic TME can not only generate ·OH and consume the antioxidants to enhance ROS-induced pyroptosis, but also effectively activate cuproptosis through Cu-mediated dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase aggregation and Fe-S cluster protein loss. Simultaneously, the mitochondrial damage induced by pyroptosis leads to a considerable efflux of ATP and the restricted ATP availability could enhance the disruption of copper metabolic homeostasis, thereby potentiating cuproptosis. The increased tumor-inhibiting effects of the combined induction of cuproptosis and pyroptosis could be achieved. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1. NIR-II photo-activated copper-nitrogen-doped carbon-based photocatalysts (Cu-NC@PEG) were developed. 2. ROS amplification was achieved based on the photo catalytic properties and Fenton-like reaction of Cu-NC@PEG. 3. Therapeutic efficacy was enhanced via ROS-induced pyroptosis and Cu-mediated cuproptosis.
基于其驱动细胞死亡的独特方式,铜死亡和焦亡在克服癌细胞的凋亡抗性方面具有显著潜力。然而,有限的铜浓度和复杂的肿瘤微环境(TME)严重限制了治疗效果。在此,开发了二硬脂酰磷脂酰乙醇胺-聚乙二醇(DSPE-PEG)修饰的铜氮掺杂碳基光催化剂(Cu-NC@PEG)作为光激活活性氧(ROS)放大系统,以协同触发焦亡和铜死亡。Cu-NC@PEG在肿瘤细胞中富集,并在第二近红外区域(NIR-II)激光照射下产生大量超氧阴离子,随后通过半胱天冬酶介导的Gasdermin D(GSDMD)裂解进一步诱导细胞焦亡。在酸性TME中从Cu-NC@PEG释放的铜离子不仅可以产生·OH并消耗抗氧化剂以增强ROS诱导的焦亡,还可以通过铜介导的二氢硫辛酰胺S-乙酰转移酶聚集和铁硫簇蛋白丢失有效地激活铜死亡。同时,焦亡诱导的线粒体损伤导致大量ATP外流,而有限的ATP可用性会增强铜代谢稳态的破坏,从而增强铜死亡。可以实现联合诱导铜死亡和焦亡增加的肿瘤抑制效果。重要意义声明:1. 开发了NIR-II光激活的铜氮掺杂碳基光催化剂(Cu-NC@PEG)。2. 基于Cu-NC@PEG的光催化性能和类芬顿反应实现了ROS放大。3. 通过ROS诱导的焦亡和铜介导的铜死亡提高了治疗效果。
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