Ferroptosis is a recently discovered route of regulated cell death that offers the opportunities for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant tumor indications, but its efficacy can be affected by the glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 (FSP1) antioxidant mechanisms, posing significant challenges for its clinical translation. In this study, we report a Cu-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin chloride(Fe(III)) (Cu-TCPP(Fe)) metal organic framework (MOF)-based nanosystem for the efficient incorporation of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and RSL3, which can demonstrate enzyme-like activities to universally suppress the antiferroptotic pathways in tumor cells for amplifying ferroptotic damage. Herein, Cu-TCPP(Fe) MOF nanosheets were integrated with Au NPs via in situ nucleation and loaded with RSL3 via π-π stacking, which were eventually modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and iRGD for tumor-targeted drug delivery. Specifically, the Au NPs can demonstrate glucose oxidase-like activities for efficient glucose depletion, thus disrupting the pentose phosphate pathway to impede reduced glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis and prevent the recycling of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to CoQ10H2, while Cu species can oxidize GSH into oxidized glutathione (GSSG). These nanocatalytic activities can lead to the simultaneous inhibition of the GPX4/GSH and FSP1/CoQ10H2 pathways and cooperate with the GPX4-deactivating function of RSL3 to cause pronounced ferroptotic damage, thereby providing a strong rationale for the application of ferroptosis therapy in the clinic.
Keywords: FSP1/CoQ10H2; GPX4/GSH; ferroptosis; nanoenzyme; triple-negative breast cancer.