2. Academic Validation
  3. Oxygen-boosted nanodrug for amplified ferroptosis-photodynamic immunotherapy together with PD-1 checkpoint blockade against triple-negative breast cancer

Oxygen-boosted nanodrug for amplified ferroptosis-photodynamic immunotherapy together with PD-1 checkpoint blockade against triple-negative breast cancer

  • Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2025 Nov:255:114963. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114963.
Zhirong Yang 1,  Lingli Deng 2,  Zhenhong Pan 3,  Xiaoyang Wang 1,  Li Lin 1,  Yaqi Fang 4,  Yinxing Huang 3,  Xianquan Feng 5,  Xi Chen 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Oncology, Fuzong Teaching Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Force), Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, China.
  • 2 Departmentof Traditional Chinese Medicine, 900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Force, Fuzhou 350025, China.
  • 3 Department of Neurosurgery, Fuzong Teaching Hospital of Fujian University of TraditionalChinese Medicine (900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Force), Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, China.
  • 4 School of Computing and Information Science, Fuzhou Institute of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, China.
  • 5 Laboratory of Basic Medicine, Fuzong Teaching Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Force), Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, China. Electronic address: 904397623@qq.com.
  • 6 Department of Oncology, Fuzong Teaching Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (900th Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Force), Fuzong Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350025, China. Electronic address: fuzhoucxi@163.com.
PMID: 40695078 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114963
Abstract

While photodynamic therapy (PDT) may augment immune checkpoint blockade in triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC), its effectiveness is constrained by tumor hypoxia and suboptimal immune activation. To address these challenges, an innovative nanodrug (HV NPs) has been developed for the targeted delivery of the Photosensitizer verteporfin and hemin, utilizing human serum albumin as a delivery vehicle. The catalase-like activity of hemin alleviates the hypoxic conditions in the tumor microenvironment and boosts PDT. The HV NPs, when activated by a 635 nm laser, induce Apoptosis and Ferroptosis in tumor cells and facilitate the release of tumor-associated debris, which triggers immunogenic cell death and enhance tumor immunogenicity. Meanwhile, modulation of the hypoxic tumor microenvironment attenuates immunosuppressive cell infiltration, thereby enhancing antitumor immunity. This systemic immune response can be further enhanced by PD-1 blockade, thereby inhibiting both primary tumors and lung metastasis. Collectively, our study indicates that HV NPs-mediated oxygen-boosted PDT represents a promising strategy to enhance the efficacy of PD-1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapies in TNBC.

Keywords

Hemin; Human serum albumin; Hypoxia; Immunogenic cell death; Verteporfin.

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