NIR-triggering cobalt single-atom enzyme switches off-to-on for boosting the interactive dynamic effects of multimodal phototherapy

Hao Dai, Ali Han (), Xijun Wang, Peng Zhu, Dingsheng Wang () and Yuguang Wang ()
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Hao Dai: Department of General Dentistry II/Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NHC Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials & Central Laboratory Peking University School and Hospital
Ali Han: Tsinghua University
Xijun Wang: Northwestern University
Peng Zhu: Tsinghua University
Dingsheng Wang: Tsinghua University
Yuguang Wang: Department of General Dentistry II/Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NHC Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials & Central Laboratory Peking University School and Hospital

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract Noninvasive phototherapy with functional preservation is considered to be a promising cancer therapeutic method. However, the clinical application of tumor phototherapy is severely restrained by the lack of appropriate multimodal phototherapy agents exhibiting an ideal tissue penetration depth to maximize the antitumor efficiency as well as to maintain important tissue functions. Herein, an innovative near-infrared ray (NIR)-triggered photodynamic-photocatalytic-photothermal therapy (PDT-PCT-PTT) agent based on an atomically dispersed cobalt single-atom enzyme (Co-SAE) anchored on hollow N-doped carbon sphere (HNCS) has been strategically developed. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly activated and amplified through both the photogenerated electrons and the photothermal conversion induced by NIR irradiation, as systematically demonstrated by the experimental and density functional theory (DFT) calculation results. Mild hyperthermia is eventually achieved through apoptosis and ferroptosis caused by ROS, significantly boosting the interaction of ROS dynamic effects and thermodynamic effects in the tumor microenvironment (TME). More importantly, Co-SAEs/HNCS not only causes multimodal damage through limited TME products but also preserves important organ functions by the induction of mild local hyperthermia. This work expands the biomedical application field of SAEs and presents an innovative all-in-one, multimodal concept for the noninvasive treatment of head and neck cancer.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57188-9

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