Scientists from the Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (SIBET) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the South China University of Technology collaborated to create near-infrared (NIR)-powered nano-assemblies with size and charge dual transformation for the integration of photo-controlled chemotherapy and immunotherapy in breast cancer.
The findings of the study have been recently reported in Theranostics.
Nanotechnology has novel benefits in enhancing the bioavailability of substances that are poorly soluble, accomplishing well-regulated and targeted drug release, and incorporating various therapeutic methods on the same platform.
Nevertheless, there are many biological hurdles in real-world applications, including transvascular transport, blood circulation, dense tumor extracellular matrix and malformed tumor vessels, thus, the majority of the nanoparticles are mostly localized around the outer edges of the tumor, and it is hard to enter the tumor to exercise cell-killing effect.
During this study, the team engineered diselenide-bridged mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles as a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive core for the loading of chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX). They then coated an indocyanine green (ICG)-hybrid N-isopropyl acrylamide layer to create a thermosensitive shell.
The negatively charged thermosensitive layer prevents DOX leakage, rendering prolonged blood circulation time and high tumor accumulation.
Wenfei Dong, Researcher, SIBET
When irradiated with NIR light, mild photothermal effects enable the dissociation of the thermosensitive shell to accomplish negative-to-positive surface charge reversal. In the meantime, ICG-produced ROS cleaves the diselenide bond of the organosilica core, resulting in quick matrix degradation that creates DOX-comprising smaller fragments (115-20 nm).
Such a NIR light-triggered charge and size dual-transformable nano-assembly allows tumor buildup and deep penetration, improves chemotherapy effectiveness and prompts strong immunogenic cell death effects in vivo and in vitro.
In animal research, integrated with programmed cell death protein-1 checkpoint blockade, the nano-platform considerably obstructed major tumor development and pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer, significantly decreasing the harmful side effects of free drugs.
This research offers a new system for a safe and effective combination treatment for breast cancer. The researchers will alter the antibodies on the surface of the nano-assembly to improve the active targeting of tumors and endeavor to use the platform to transport gene-editing tools for gene therapy of tumors.
News
Groundbreaking New Way of Measuring Blood Pressure Could Save Thousands of Lives
A new method that improves the accuracy of interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could be vital for individuals who are unable to have their blood pressure measured on the arm. A newly developed [...]
Scientist tackles key roadblock for AI in drug discovery
The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds—those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties—at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path [...]
Nanoplastics with environmental coatings can sneak past the skin’s defenses
Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, and it's notorious for taking a long time to completely break down in the environment - if it ever does. But even without breaking down completely, plastic [...]
Chernobyl scientists discover black fungus feeding on deadly radiation
It looks pretty sinister, but it might actually be incredibly helpful When reactor number four in Chernobyl exploded, it triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history, one which the surrounding area still has not [...]
Long COVID Is Taking A Silent Toll On Mental Health, Here’s What Experts Say
Months after recovering from COVID-19, many people continue to feel unwell. They speak of exhaustion that doesn’t fade, difficulty breathing, or an unsettling mental haze. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that recovery from the [...]
Study Delivers Cancer Drugs Directly to the Tumor Nucleus
A new peptide-based nanotube treatment sneaks chemo into drug-resistant cancer cells, providing a unique workaround to one of oncology’s toughest hurdles. CiQUS researchers have developed a novel molecular strategy that allows a chemotherapy drug to [...]
Scientists Begin $14.2 Million Project To Decode the Body’s “Hidden Sixth Sense”
An NIH-supported initiative seeks to unravel how the nervous system tracks and regulates the body’s internal organs. How does your brain recognize when it’s time to take a breath, when your blood pressure has [...]
Scientists Discover a New Form of Ice That Shouldn’t Exist
Researchers at the European XFEL and DESY are investigating unusual forms of ice that can exist at room temperature when subjected to extreme pressure. Ice comes in many forms, even when made of nothing but water [...]
Nobel-winning, tiny ‘sponge crystals’ with an astonishing amount of inner space
The 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi on Oct. 8, 2025, for the development of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, which are tunable crystal structures with extremely [...]
Harnessing Green-Synthesized Nanoparticles for Water Purification
A new review reveals how plant- and microbe-derived nanoparticles can power next-gen water disinfection, delivering cleaner, safer water without the environmental cost of traditional treatments. A recent review published in Nanomaterials highlights the potential of green-synthesized nanomaterials (GSNMs) in [...]
Brainstem damage found to be behind long-lasting effects of severe Covid-19
Damage to the brainstem - the brain's 'control center' - is behind long-lasting physical and psychiatric effects of severe Covid-19 infection, a study suggests. Using ultra-high-resolution scanners that can see the living brain in [...]
CT scan changes over one year predict outcomes in fibrotic lung disease
Researchers at National Jewish Health have shown that subtle increases in lung scarring, detected by an artificial intelligence-based tool on CT scans taken one year apart, are associated with disease progression and survival in [...]
AI Spots Hidden Signs of Disease Before Symptoms Appear
Researchers suggest that examining the inner workings of cells more closely could help physicians detect diseases earlier and more accurately match patients with effective therapies. Researchers at McGill University have created an artificial intelligence tool capable of uncovering [...]
Breakthrough Blood Test Detects Head and Neck Cancer up to 10 Years Before Symptoms
Mass General Brigham’s HPV-DeepSeek test enables much earlier cancer detection through a blood sample, creating a new opportunity for screening HPV-related head and neck cancers. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for about 70% of [...]
Study of 86 chikungunya outbreaks reveals unpredictability in size and severity
The symptoms come on quickly—acute fever, followed by debilitating joint pain that can last for months. Though rarely fatal, the chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness, can be particularly severe for high-risk individuals, including newborns and older [...]
Tiny Fat Messengers May Link Obesity to Alzheimer’s Plaque Buildup
Summary: A groundbreaking study reveals how obesity may drive Alzheimer’s disease through tiny messengers called extracellular vesicles released from fat tissue. These vesicles carry lipids that alter how quickly amyloid-β plaques form, a hallmark of [...]
