Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

In Situ Self-Reinforcing Fully Active Nanodrugs: Excitation/Oxygen-Free Redox Disruption Therapy through Metabolite-Driven Reactive Oxygen Species Cascades

  • Fang Fang
  • , Weiyu Li
  • , Yueyun Fan
  • , Chuang Zhang
  • , Yanhong Liu
  • , Jinfeng Zhang
  • Beijing Institute of Technology
  • CAS - Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have emerged as promising therapeutic agents in tumor treatment. However, conventional ROS-based therapies often suffer from diminished or complete loss of antineoplastic efficacy due to insufficient oxidative stress damage, primarily stemming from limited ROS generation capacity and reliance on excitation and oxygen. Herein, we present a self-reinforcing full-active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) nanodrug (CFL FAND), assembled of chloroperoxidase (CPO), Fe3+, and linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LAOOH). This nanoplatform leverages endogenous products to reactivate the API, enabling in situ cascade reactions for perturbing redox homeostasis. Specifically, CPO catalyzes intracellular H2O2 into hypochlorous acid (HClO), while Fe3+ is reduced by glutathione to Fe2+, facilitating hydroxyl radical (•OH) generation via the Fenton reaction. Crucially, both downstream metabolites HClO and Fe2+ further react with LAOOH through the Russell mechanism to produce singlet oxygen (1O2), thereby achieving stimuli- and oxygen-free formation of multiple ROS (HClO-•OH-1O2) that synergistically amplify oxidative stress. Furthermore, the as-fabricated FANDs possess an exceptionally high API loading content (100 wt %) and a tumor-acidity-triggered degradation profile, which inherently enhances therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity. This work showcases a robust strategy to augment the potency and sustainability of ROS-mediated cancer therapies, offering a paradigm shift in precision oncology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9770-9783
Number of pages14
JournalACS Nano
Volume20
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Mar 2026
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • ROS generation
  • full-API nanodrug (FAND)
  • hypoxic tumor microenvironment
  • in situ cascade reactions
  • redox homeostasis

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'In Situ Self-Reinforcing Fully Active Nanodrugs: Excitation/Oxygen-Free Redox Disruption Therapy through Metabolite-Driven Reactive Oxygen Species Cascades'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this