2026/03/01 by Qixuan Wang, Shu Lian, Wenfei Niu +6 · 1 voice
Engineering · Materials Science · Medicine · #Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics #Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications #Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
paper · doi:10.1002/agt2.70317
openalex publication_date 2026/03/01 · openalex created_date 2026/03/20 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
ABSTRACT Gold nanocluster (NC)‐induced ferroptosis has emerged as a promising method for malignant tumors. However, the immune clearance and suboptimal reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency have limited its clinical application. Here, we engineered macrophage‐membrane‐coated gold nanocluster@nanoflower (CM‐NC@NF) nanocomposites to address these challenges. In vitro studies demonstrated that the combination of NC and NF significantly enhanced ROS generation (∼9 times than NC), GSH depletion, and photothermal therapy (PTT) under laser irradiation, therefore promoting apoptosis in both 4T1 and MCF‐7 cells. Furthermore, experimental evidence demonstrates that macrophage membrane encapsulation enables CM‐NC@NF to evade clearance by immune cells. In the murine breast cancer model, CM‐NC@NF exhibited significant tumor accumulation 4 h post‐intravenous administration. Subsequent laser irradiation induced robust ROS generation and PTT within the tumor, leading to a tumor inhibition rate 5.7 times higher than that achieved with CM‐NC alone. This therapeutic efficacy was further validated in an intra‐tumoral injection experiment, showing a tumor inhibition rate 5.4 times higher than that of CM‐NC alone. This multimodal strategy synergizes ferroptosis‐like therapy with PTT, holding significant therapeutic promise for precision breast cancer treatment.