Synthesis of Fe₃O₄ core/MIL-100(Fe) shell nanocomposites for tumor chemo-ferroptosis combination therapy and MR imaging

Abstract

The application of both chemotherapy and ferrotherapy together has shown great potential in increasing the effectiveness of cancer treatment. To achieve such a combination, we herein have synthesized Fe3O4 core/MIL-100(Fe) shell nanocomposites (FM) that can be used for tumor chemo-ferroptosis combination therapy. In these nanocomposites, the anticancer drug 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) and iron ions could be co-delivered into tumors. On one hand, the released HCPT molecules can enter the cell nucleus and bind with DNA, resulting in induction of tumor cell apoptosis. On the other hand, the iron ions could react with H2O2 leading to the production of ROS through the Fenton reaction, thereby triggering tumor cell ferroptosis. Consequently, a superior antitumor effect was achieved through the combination of the apoptosis and ferroptosis. Additionally, the Fe3O4 core endowed FM with high performance for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which further provided novel avenues for imaging guidance therapy. Therefore, we anticipate that application of these nanocomposites could have great potential in the field of tumor therapy.