Macrophage membrane-camouflaged nanoclusters of ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles for precision glioma theranostics

Biomater Sci. 2024 May 14;12(10):2705-2716. doi: 10.1039/d4bm00357h.

Abstract

Developing effective nanomedicines to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for efficient glioma theranostics is still considered to be a challenging task. Here, we describe the development of macrophage membrane (MM)-coated nanoclusters (NCs) of ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles (USIO NPs) with dual pH- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsivenesses for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and chemotherapy/chemodynamic therapy (CDT) of orthotopic glioma. Surface citrate-stabilized USIO NPs were solvothermally synthesized, sequentially modified with ethylenediamine and phenylboronic acid, and cross-linked with gossypol to form gossypol-USIO NCs (G-USIO NCs), which were further coated with MMs. The prepared MM-coated G-USIO NCs (G-USIO@MM NCs) with a mean size of 99.9 nm display tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive gossypol and Fe release to promote intracellular ROS production and glutathione consumption. With the MM-mediated BBB crossing and glioma targeting, the G-USIO@MM NCs can specifically inhibit orthotopic glioma in vivo through the gossypol-mediated chemotherapy and Fe-mediated CDT. Meanwhile, USIO NPs can be dissociated from the NCs under the TME, thus allowing for effective T1-weighted glioma MR imaging. The developed G-USIO@MM NCs with simple components and drug as a crosslinker are promising for glioma theranostics, and may be extended to tackle other cancer types.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Glioma* / diagnostic imaging
  • Glioma* / drug therapy
  • Glioma* / metabolism
  • Glioma* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Macrophages* / drug effects
  • Macrophages* / metabolism
  • Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mice
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Theranostic Nanomedicine*
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects