Nanomedicine has revolutionized cancer therapeutic strategies but has not completely changed the outcomes of tricky tumors that evolve a sophisticated immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) such as acidification. Here, a metal-phenolic network-based nanocomplex embedded with lactate oxidase (LOX) and a mitochondrial respiration inhibitor atovaquone (ATO) was constructed for immunosuppressive TME remodeling and sonodynamic therapy (SDT). In this nanocomplex, the sonosensitizer chlorin e6-conjugated polyphenol derivative can induce the generation of tumor lethal reactive oxygen species upon ultrasound irradiation. LOX served as a catalyst for intracellular lactic acid exhaustion, and ATO led to mitochondrial dysfunction to decrease oxygen consumption. This nanocomplex reversed the tumor immunosuppressive status by alleviating tumor hypoxia and acidic TME, achieving the characteristic enhancement of SDT and the inhibition of tumor proliferation and metastasis.
Keywords: antitumor therapy; lactic acid; metal-phenolic network; sonodynamic therapy; tumor microenvironment.