Localized Fe(II)-Induced Cytotoxic Reactive Oxygen Species Generating Nanosystem for Enhanced Anticancer Therapy

The anticancer therapy on the basis of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated cellular apoptosis has achieved great progress. However, this kind of theraputic strategy still faces some challenges such as light, photosensitizer and oxygen (O2) dependence. In this article, a ROS-mediated anticancer therapy independent of light, photosensitizer and oxygen was established based on a Fe2+-induced ROS-generating nanosystem. First, artemisinin (ART) was loaded in porous magnetic supraparticles (MSP) by a nanodeposition method. Then, the poly(aspartic acid)-based polymer, which consisted of dopamine, indocyanine green, and polyethylene glycol side chain, was coated onto the surface of ART-loaded MSP. When the nanoparticles entered into cancer cells, a reaction of Fe2+-mediated cleavage of the endoperoxide bridge contained in ART occurred and subsequent a large amount of ROS was generated. Moreover, a NIR light was used to effectively increase the local temperature of tumor in virtue of the superior photothermal e...